IDLE WHARVES.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 37, 12 February 1917, Page 6

IDLE WHARVES.

NO WORK AT WELLINGTON. UNION AND THE "BLACK" BOATS. DECIDES TO WORK THEM. GOVERNMENT MARKS TIME. CONCILIATION COUNCIL ~ TO-MORROW. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. The waterfront was again practically idle to-day. Another call was made for labour to work the small vessels from Wanganui, but the men did not respond, consequently only a few men were taken on, .even of them for unloading cargo > from the relief Bhip Aurora. A conference before the Conciliation! Commissioner was to have taken place' to-day, but the assessors appointed by the Commissioner to represent the Waterside Workers did not turn up. The union, however, communicated with the Commissioner, stating that if the conference adjourned until to-morrow the union's assessors would attend. At a largely attended meeting to-day the Waterside Workers' Union decided-to work the boats from Wanganui this afternoon, but not necessarily the Ripple,. Which is expected to arrive from Napier early to-morrow morning. Pending to-morrow's Conciliation Council proceedings it is understood that the Government is marking time.

FREE LABOUR AT NAPIER.

POSITION STEL-L UNSETTLED. (By Telegraph. — Press Association.) NAPIER, this day. The waterside situation at Napier is still uiipettled. The Mayor (Mr. VigorBrown, called a meeting of both parties. The watersiders attended, but the employers refused to confer with the men. The -\ratersiders decided to take ttic Municipal Theatre to-morrow night, to place their case before the public Tncre was plenty of free labour at the port to-day, there being fully 20 men in excess of requirements. No less than eight lightere were loading. The coastal i steamer Ruru is discharging, most of the carrying being done by employers or clerke, the loading and unloading being doing by mercantile clerks and settlers from the country. The Ripple arrived yesterday from Gisborne, but procaedeJ. to Wellington. A large ivool store at the porv; discharged their wool workers on Saturday. SOLDIERS , HELP OFFERED. BY ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT. SUPPLIES FOR BOYS AT FRONT. * GISBORNE, this day. Captain Pitt, president of the Returned Soldiers' Association, telegraphed 1 to the Acting-Premier that in the event of the Government finding it necessary to take control of the waterfront, he deeired to offer the services of the Returned Soldiers' Association in order to help to maintain supplies to the boys at the front and aid the Motherland in ths present great crisis. The offer was made subject to the approval of the executive, who, Captain Pitt feels confident, will endorse his action.