WATERSIDE WAGES

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 60, Issue 210, 13 June 1940, Page 3

WATERSIDE WAGES

RECENT INCREASE CRITICISED. COMMENT BY MR HAMILTON. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) WELLINGTON, June 12. The wages and conditions for waterside workers stipulated by the AAhterfront Control Commission in its order issued this week were criticised by the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. A. Hamilton) in a statement issued today. He described the changes made as a serious development. i “AA T ith Flanders fields stained with the blood of the Allied herooes, with tens of thousands of our own volunteers trained for a similar supreme sacrifice in the interests of all we hold dear, with the overwhelming majority of the non-combatant people in this Dominion stating their readiness to make any voluntary sacrifice asked,” Mr Hamilton said, “a party Government gives the watersiders of New Zealand an unwarranted increase in wages. All the rates are on a peace-time basis of a 40-hour week. Nothing could be more designed to blast the spontaneity of our war effort. Equality of sacrifice is a mockery.

“I do not believe that genuine workers in this country will tolerate for a moment such a flagrant breach of the spirit of our nation to-day,” Mr Hamilton continued. “I am as keen as any man to prevent any war profiteering among any section, and . I bow to no man in that view. 1 told the House of Representatives and the Government that everything in my power would be done to bring to immediate book the slacker or the profiteer. All the weight of power politics will not stop me from raising my voice in outrage at this serious development. I honestly believe that the average working man of New Zealand, from which category I do not exclude any section in the Dominion, does not seek to put a price on patriotism. lam sure that the people will join almost unanimously. with me in protesting against this initial betrayal of our war sacrifice, genuinely inspired, and which to-day seeks opportunity to demonstrate itself. AVliile our soldiers and the great group of workers on our farms, in the bush, and in tlie cities are making sacrifices willingly, we have this example of complete failure to realise the gravity of this hour. This is not sacrifice, it is pillage.”

COMMISSIONER’S REPLY. EXPLANATION OF ORDER. AVELLINGTOX, June 12. “There was no valid reason for the picturesque, and, indeed, extravagant language used- by the Leader of the Opposition, as the following explanation will show,” said Mr R. Ei. Price, chairman of the AVaterfront Control Commission, in an interview to-night'. In the first place, Mr Hamilton stated that the rates are on a peacetime basis for a 40-hour week. The facts were that the waterside workers offered their services' from 8 a.m. each morning, Monday to Saturday inclusive, until midnight, and later if necessary. In addition the men had worked on. Sundays when requested to do so by the Commission. “In spite of what Mr Hamilton may say, the extended hours which these men have worked since the Commission, has been appointed is a clear indication that they are making sacrifices, and they have intimated to the Commission that they are prepared to do everything in their power to assist New Zealand’s war effort,” he said, commenting on Mr Hamilton’s comment on the wages increase.

“We can only draw the conclusion that Mr Hamilton did not study the memorandum to the order before making his statement to the press. Otherwise it Avould be difficult to understand his remarks which, at best, could only serve to cause disunity at a time when the efforts of every person in New Zealand should he directed toward creating unity and co-operation. The increase granted was purely a wage adjustment, which should have been made approximately rwo years ago, when the waterside workers’ award expired, and does nothing more than to restore to workers in the industry the wage position as compared with other workers, which they had held for a long period of years.

“The Commissioners wish to assure Mr Hamilton that they are as f.ully alive to the gravity of the war situation as any other citizen in the Dominion, and have taken action day ill and day out to assist Now Zealand’s national effort by organising the speediest dispatch of shipping. To dato more than 50 vessels have been worked extended Lours throughout New Zealand. For the information of Mr Hamilton, the Commission has received the cd-operation of shipowners, and arrived at an agreement with them by which the work of loading and discharging vessels will be performed on a contract basis. The rates agreed upon will not increase labour costs either to the producer in New Zealand or the Government of the United Kingdom; but will, in fact, enable a considerable saving to be made *in ship-operating costs by giving quicker dispatch.”