UNLOADING COAL

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 215, 11 September 1929, Page 9

UNLOADING COAL

DEVONPORT GASWORKS' SUPPLY. WATERSIDE WORKERS' AWARD. EXEMPTION APPLICATIONS. An application by the Auckland Gas Company for- exemption as a party to the waterside workers' award in respect of the men of its staff who unload coal for the works at Devonport was made in the Arbitration Court yesterday, Mr. S. E. Wright appearing for the company and Mr. Roberts, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation, opposing the application. George Henry Collins, assistant engineed to the company, gave evidence at "length, stating why the employers objected to its permanent workers at Devonport being subject to the waterside award. One reason was that it was essential to have its own men at call to prevent delay. Mr. Roberts said it was quite possible for the Gas Company to bring the averago collier alongside the Devonport wharf and discharge it by its own permanent labour. Until quite recently it was discharging at Duder's wharf, where only the smallest vessels could berth. It was true the company was not previously a party, as it had been handling the coal at that wharf, but prior to that a contractor conveyed the coal to Devonport and he employed watersiders. Some time ago the company took the U.S.S. Company's Kakapo's hulk to the Devonport wharf and discharged her with permanent hands. This nearly caused an industrial upheaval at Auckland but tor the intervention of tlie shipping companies, who settled the dispute. The aM'ard contained provision for preference of employment at all wharves in the harbour covered by it. "Dangerous Precedent." The claim of the company's representative that if it owned the vessel and also the cargo it could employ whom it liked was untenable. On those grounds the Union Steamship Co. could bring coal in their colliers from Westport or Newcastle to bunker their own ships and need not employ waterside labour. Anybody could go and handle cargo if ownership of the cargo was the only argument. That would be a very dangerous precedent. Watersiders were employed in connection with unloading of coal for Mirimar and Petone gas works at Wellington and at Dunedin, and waterside labour also unloaded boats for the Colonial Sugar Refining Co. at Chelsea. This application would not have been made, but seeing that the company engaged a trading scow shifting coal and at other trading Avork, there was no reason why it should not be a party to the award. Robert Irvine, walking delegate of the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union, gave evidence, and the Court reserved its .decision.