WATERSIDE WORKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLV, Issue 162, 9 July 1914, Page 8

WATERSIDE WORKERS.

, i LEGISLATION FORESHADOWED [ THE -SURPLUS" PROBLEM. I AUCKLAND HARBOUR EOAKD's i VIEWS. I DIVIDED CONTROL CONDEMNED. !

There \ra= a special mePting of the Auckland Harbour Board ywtrrdar 1 afternoon to consider an important lot- J I ter from the Primp Mini.*tPr. the Ri.uht, j Hon. W. F. Masscv. concerning tho lion of work on the wharves, in the light' of events which happened Ht the time of. the disastrous strike of last year. In his letter the. Prime Minister stated that a deputation repreeentine th"? pxpcu- j tive of thR Wellington Wha-rf Labourer.- , j Union had waited upon him a.nd urged; that sonic definite steps should be tai<en for the purpose of placing the employment of waterside labour upon a more satisfactory UasU. The deputation had Minrjyested that the Harbour Board ?liould ; take over the control of the whole .>t' the waterfront in regard to the handling ufj (cargo, employment of men. I'll-. This j I matter nad been di.~iu?sed by rPpri-x'ri-;tatives of the various Harbour Hoards j of tlie n.iminion at a conlereniv in .lamii arr when resolutions were i to' the effect that the Harbour.-" At J should be amended enlarpnjr t« the ! necessary extent the present power, of I Harbour Boards in order 'o enable the , Boards- by arrangement, with shipowners. ■to rj4rry on the husine.ss of stevedores oi ito lirenf." persons or firms to do f". A ; rpsoiutiou had also been passer! : inp the opinion that wherrvpr po.-siMi , : -waterside worker?, should ly permnnent i PTsployees of cither the Harbour Board ;or the shipowner?. In n'corda.nre with •'the royolutions the Crown Law flffii-ers i had been instructed in ,i> to the . i extent to which it would be nowsary 1° amend tho Tlarbours Act to jiif elTeet to the proposals, and hs soon a- tbis «■)• " •• . i wa? obtained it would W 1.-xike.l into .'carefully with a view to introducing an , amendmrnt to the Act next session. In [ the meantime. Mr. Ma.-sey enneludrd. l'p ' would be glad if the Board would let him ', ' have vt.« views cennrally upon the Mlbjert. :' H» need hardly add that he f * iirr ■ ! anxious that something should he don-' '; as soon a? possible tv. pUrr the employ- ' I mrat of waterside labour upon si. pe r_ ! manent and more satisfactory footing. Nf) DIVIDEO CON'TROI.. i The letter was considered in i-ommi'.----1 ire. and upon resuming, the following ' , resolution was reported to the Board: — i l. -Thn:. m the »renr of snjr ■ hani? . by iesisl:i;ivf Pid.-rraer,: in eii'.'i'is '-or. .i ■ lion- twin- drptncil !, '-' Bo.i 1 , ,-nnDrrjs ami approves Ihe prin.iplo f-t fi<| ■ Hirbnnr Bnani bp'.ns cnnMinncl •«* f • '.-ontroillns .inthorify a> .iffir-.iirf In 'h» B-«" I Ko.mi heM In Mr ,, =; on -n 2 r'. ; Jinnary l.i*t. namely: Thii :li> .-niifrr 'ipc.e nf Harbour P-mM rlctepiirs • Isip ; , provs nf any proporßl ; h:if invnlrp* sn , i sinn in flenl wlih the qne>'!oii ..f iri'Ct'Ji' Übnur cilher afVre or :iflo.;. .-Ins ■-' ° np'nlnn ill" if an.v seps '..•■ nil iru:i:ely ■ I ilerrne.l aiHisable t« '-hip.ie or Imprnvr the J ei.ndition* the nv.wwir'i 1 : y ■■: .i.I niiuiseriiiE 'tie .--un.- .-Si.: rem.iii! r !»• ' tpsspU in the r'-pc-ihe llarli.mr Buar.l> ■ wh" shall he the rnn:rnil'.ns ( then-.bv obviat'.nr anrtbin;: Inn-lrinK <1.-a. I _•. A -Th:!-. in :he oplninii .'f llli< I Board, any \\i\\\ ?-'ii|>,;'i- . .onipinics .vr fieredores :n i-nntrol :he ! lie enterod lute a> f n:seyip(i in ;he I ' ! re-o-.niinn .if .-nnfpren.-e wmilrt he i;i-r> ' faeioi-r. .i= it w.TOi.I involve dual adiiiiii;*.

irati.u!. whieb would he impracticable. !'ie M.ii.i resolution b<-in; a» follow,: -Tha:. in •lie opinion of this conference, it Is >le?lmrle ihst t.be government shouid introduce an amendment of the Harbours A.;, t" The noce>s".-y pxient :bc pres'-n: powers of Herivmr Ro.irrt,. s<. .i- m enaMe Harhn.ir Boards by nrrancemeni wi'h shipowner* :n f-arr.T nn the business of stevedore-, or l'.ri'JtfP persons fir (inns -.• :n •:.•.' " X ■ • ..hut if prcwnl -'onditioi;- are to v> • Should he entirely .-.introlM by The Harbour Bnar<l=. This Board !«. however, 'if opinion, in rela;ion n> MeTwl«>rlng work, that tlie shirvim •■ompanliw inn.-r continue to .-nntrol that ilMlntdv. hill thai ju.-: .iUiurtmiir Boards mizbi .oiiirol .ill wharf h.ihour wirh n pprmnrien; flalT. >r. he of st.cr«lorlns. but also vr.b .1 pe.-niasien" •rt.iCf. wUie.h doe* exist nt im-?en!." (.'■'Any amending thi-refori , . Rb'''tilfl. in the •"•pinion nf 'ht* Ko:ir'l. he perniis-iTe. an.l <-irpnfl r.. •Harhonr Boiinis ciption.il posriv? to .1/mI wi;h 'in , qnp*tlon> inv.7lrr<i in a mnnner hp«t f.iiied in tl-.e vr-i]iiiremrnt of ea.h i»>r:." PURELY iPESBMLS^IVK. In i»pea'rdnjr to the- mo: ion for t.';nadnpuon of the repon of the .omniittee. which wti-« ir.ored by Mr. <i. anl M"coml«d by Mr. H. H. Adam.-. •.;■■ chairman. (Mt. .f. H. .-.iid the niai.Pox ra:[%p<i in the Prime Minister"? Jptter wa? a very serious oiu , . atl'l deseninf; of t.heir fullest rencidoration. FartJinaip.ly t.he pc.-itioTi in Aucklan.-i a: the prcsailr trme -was fairly satisfactory, but if lrjrislaticm; -wero comity; the Board fehould make iv v;e»r. v!f.ir. ani ,-r->

thtit ii.> were pro perl y paf'- ,- fniArdfd. J-Ip considered they wpro very wise iv affirming thp principle thai if any «ha.ngo >vere madft thp boarri* mitt have at&oHrtp. control. Tb.i i ilea of a separate authority '.leina; eswblfehf.i V3s opposed by all the CKurdi at tho conferp;niv. Such a prop-neal would be inimicaX to the interests of the ]iort. It woilM tAke away ivom '.hr- b.urdr- the control of t-heir own wharves .in.l of trie <*jjjjtr(.-l of thp ca.rgo fiap^in-g , ovpt their •wn-arvo.s. 'With regard ;<i .laup'p ibl. the kl.aa. was tha.t if there uprf ii per"raanojit. etaff re <io away with a l«Lr<r» a.m</unt of ;he r-oirpliir labour, which was one of the caiirc-, of trouble. Tire ma-cter was a diffirnh- and diJiatable one. tnrt the Atii-kUnd Board's \';ivr on the point, was Uiar. whatever the change the Boa-rd miiot havp ab^oluti , control. The Board should ur.t in a.ny way interfere with the r'nippuigr conipanir- ;n (l-c.i!-\ng -with :beir own fliips an , .! loading cargoes. That- was the i-umpanier' bii*:--tl<Ws. a.mi <-ould not. .lie run by thr F.u.mi. The ißoard m'.gha deal with l.iUaur on the eveqic rhaj rngagnd in ihe uvtual work of etpvpriioring. a,tu! ;i.a whs a boil v half rhe labour emp!.-.\i i. In th«> pvent or' x ••iiange •i.s\ded up'in. the R'"»aTd m:^rii 1 . ha\f» .1 prrm.iriT*u. f~rafT for it- c>\ni work, and In ihe shipping vcrmpanieJ look a.fler own f-ieveiiorinj. i?pca.king w';t.h rpgard t" chiusc (<■!. Mr. »TUin<=.in primed mil. thai what wouW suit one. port, would uot f.iit frery port, and' therefore uny legislation ■ passed ehould be vptv wide in character, and should be entirely pcrui : .*tsive. lr wx>ui<l l.hpn rftmain with the board , -- fo uav -wti«t.her e iu.-h as ffivpn by the legislation EbrmM be iKw.-i or no:. XO STEVEJ»RIxr:. Mr. Peter Virtue -wan-ed t.i iias«r; th' vrordx '".ind t'i* T.andiinc of cargo" al f °r in clauss , •)>>. a.nd "a* in tbe pas'" after :n r'ne sjrre cl«.use. hif fibjfc' being ; ,■> xa k> it p<Tfect'iy clear thur.-th« Boarrl had no intention of -underrating -he reeeivicj; and forwa-itiiiig oi cargo. , The cbAirmatt pointed.- tout, tka-r the :time rmjgto arnve >wiea- it •-would BKeaiy4coßsjp|>ttrcr«i.-jrsg£sQiiior. ■U^.

| Board to handle, the cargo iieeif. He j always had been, and still ■n-a--. abs.oUurelv opposed to such a eours*. hu: he ■ was not goins to wr-ihai if occasion ■ rose for a change, •'••f policy he would riill oppose it. The aaie/Kd'aiPßi moved by Mr. Virtue I was '..;.-t. I LMr. W. B. Lry'.and w a < thoroughly in j .jcror.i with cue principle of lip Board ! bavins a>ioluie a lthcrity in :ac cvar '.-.: any change. I.VTEACTICAPLE SCHEME. . Mr. E. W. AJir-on , c-oademncl the idc-. 1o: :jc companies working with the ' ,i-(.i.; i_ a.« impracticali*. He did not i t:iink a woulj he necessary for : vr.ir-. l>u: if ' ii.it time did x-omo the (M.ml wr.iild be ill -i aiu-:h bolter po*;'jtion vo <\- r .i\ with the problem if t.iero ,'wr;,* legiilation. k was ouiie possible : t.-> .-oncrivp of i;rar> vrhm a permanent L-taff would bp of prci: value :•> the

Mr. •!. f>. Band looked forward to the time when ira'prs'da condition* would be improved by having a permanent staff, with a e;ipeT3nnu:itk>n ~ 60 that the men wouM have an interest in the work. Mr. H. 11. Ada:r..- con.-idercd that if the Board had had i-ontrol of tJif labour on the wharf during ;ho recent >;rikt> i; would no: Imve :iie proportion*

iit .ii.l. lie dill not «Ugg»'sS Ulst the ['•Hoard c'loul.l undertake tiip of ' hi;:-. )>ii: "linn , sliould have a permanent ■ -:;itf for the work about the fhevl-s. T'.irv I would then ..'.•, j !>»•:: er cia-s of worki mm. and it would <! i any with t'.ic , lavvkwar t Kiirplu.-. Mr. Virtue pi:inte<l nut tha: ;hn strike , started at. YSVllirtjrfon. wivrc tho Board ! did iw.'rol the eTjfl. an,l not in 'Auck'Marl, nberc the s-Uiff war. no: unifr tip Burl. Up. .•on-i.-IfTF.! Top proposals *vr-o on! , , t.hp t*h;T <vi£v* nt Tne c >.-0. ,\f!> ins: the ■Rmrd coiiM take over the . J i-.an.Tling 01 the. enrjro. If t'na: were would nie.in an ecs: --, it.hp af iikr tTfjinn ■ <-, •Hivp .1 ,'.•« mpn .i r-iippranniiition iU-hfrrp. It thry 'u,i mm on m CCS 3 ,jfnrk r >i: of :um th.it thoy wnul-.i imt ■•:' Jhad to!.i 'viu ihpy w -.ul l"-.;-p- - - ;bo ilea , M "no ~.1. ,! Mr. Hir.-hin.«.in. in pv.n:ir,- .-.v: :hp ,| iifli'-nl'v ■■'!' "ii .ilinjr «iti r\ prruiJUPn: f.niT. -jid :ii3t *■ 1 ; .- wof>\ t'nprp w<v - r" r; 'T- I'"" 1 nr 1-™ mr:l rmplo.'V.l on ;': ■ ", I .vh.irvr... wnilf nt bu*y tirm-a. 'just b>*iire .jrhr:*:ma*. t'nr ic.<:an;'P. t.brr would ro- . p^r l- ;.ir.- I.'MIO :jipn. A*. prfePTit t' - ror: im ! i r<»{«iia:ior for ■■\uiek dinp.i: i Hiid i-'.ifjpr.r=s of handling fiiip*. ian.l •.h-a rr.uit bp niiintainpil. j 1 h- rcpor: wa* tJPn adnp'od.