"BIG RACKET."

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 158, 5 July 1940, Page 8

"BIG RACKET."

WHARF CONTROL.

COMMISSION ATTACKED. "MOST ONE-SH>ED," SATS M.P. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary -K«i>orter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Criticism of the cost involved in tim new waterfront control system and the personnel of the Waterfront Commission Mas voiced in the House of Representatives to-day by Mr. JulL The three, members of the Commission, said }Ir. Jull, -were paid. fliTjlt apiece. There were in addition four coi: trollers and six *ui>erintendeuts. and a miscellaneous assortment of odd* and end*:, making up a total of about £15.000

a Tear payable, by the Government. He~ contended that the Commission was most one-sided. Its jwrsonnel comprised the secretary of the Waterside Workers" Federation, a Conciliation Commissioner, and a gentleman whose business of stevedoring had been acquired by the Government. There were no representatives of the shipping interests, no re.presentati.yes of the producers or importers., but just workers, which made the Commission so unanimous and easy of administration. Mr. ,Tull alleged that some question had been referred to the Commission, and in the a use lice of the secretary of the Waterside Workers' Federation." the chairman had given a decision—a most monstrous thing. The decision lmd been referred back to the Commission, and was reversed when the other gentleman came back. The Minister or Labour, Mr. Webb, was misleading the public ■when he said be had cured the trouble f)ii the waterfront. What iva* wanted was a public inquiry into the whole position. The victims of the system were the British Government, and the producers. It was racketeering within the law —the biggest racket that had ever existed in New Zealand.