DEPUTATION TO THE SHIPPER COMMITTEE.

Press, Volume XLVIL, Issue 7719, 26 November 1890, Page 2

DEPUTATION TO THE SHIPPER COMMITTEE.

A deputation, consisting of •KJfSfi at Lytt&ton and Messrs,4_i»W_S 1 '_-My-rdT waited upon the BMPP* *J5 j mlttee on Friday to point put to #» "J | by the unequal distribution oi <*• | 1 between the tree laborers an* VVfitf, & the latter were unable to and some were unable to pay tbe borough now due by »*«•£_£&•+§ to about l4oa There was » ft»g jg r j ance ot the Shippers* Of»™"*S*, ■ , 1 P* Cunningham was lv the cb I The Mayou introduced the so« | fa | a resolution of the I*»»_fEh I outcome of a deputation owhatf «, I who had waited upon the j Monday evening last, and P«jf«ys» I posltio- before t h *_ i i. t ? d I i retoarked that t had beta *w«J!4 «t« I _STt_S the UhlonhM jartSßl* I 4Kreet disadvantage, *ad most*? «*~ §

work waa K given to the; # *%««rs. The men, he regretted to *■ _Senot only unable to pay their t*J• h_t were in absolute want, so much they had nearly determined to » £?_ MrAllwright, the member of the *#_*Shie Aid Board, for assistance *$^ b that body. He asked If the *__Si' committee could not see their this condition of things. *S _T_WBieH_ also spoke in simdar **** stated that from his personal *__w*.nce there was a great deal of «*_SrinPort. in reply, stated that at ,_PbSilng°* the strike every effort OJ_ £*r made to induce the men to ****-Twork and so far back as Septemf« k . letter was addressed to the ber J»"_V __d Committee of theLyfctelton Union, pointing out the offering work on liberal - f-SsM die men. The letter read as frS 0 * B '"christchnrch, 17th Sept., 1890. -.._ President and Committee of tbe 0 -'" Wnarf laborers' Union, ' i_«*--The Committee representing the ___,_ companies, merchants, and *»«_!?of Canterbury, now carrying on WSirk in Lyttelton, instruct mc to that, realising the necessity fe *S» Prosperity of the province that the P the port of Lyttelton should be Sf» either tree or Union labor, tbey engaging permanent labor for _?Jta_and discharging ships. Committee, however, desire mc to _*£__ having every wisbto consider SB" jrjirests of the members of your W-I .who have homes and families in HJ-rtan I am t0 favorably consider »_jS_io_3 f° r employment from such willing to accept work under Sg-jioag as may be prescribed by the W^am.Slrs, " Yours faithfully, "J. J. Kl-SEY, " Hon. Secretary." -.iHnsey had the full sanction of the E»«!_tee to engage 100 men at £3 per overtime 2s per hour, under _!_taC__ditions which are now con_Sl The Committtee not receiving any _S*_tHnthe Wharf Laborers' Executive, _*___ t en qniries to be made, and learned Unionists themselves that the *_«_ letter had not been brought *___ them, but only casually menSm«L_ad desiring that the Unionists *Xt know the facts, Mr Kinsey SSnaited at the Lyttelton Post Office of the above letter. It was * __rred hy the men in a maimer which Sfftanmittee's considerate offer did not S___t, In addition to this, the letter Zrfncisted to all the known wharf labor--flnPort. At the present time, when the Sr__ve offered to return to work, a fg__rt state of things prevails. The ~~_ itself, in a great measure the result ' ___strike,is scarce, but there is a body Sf—slaborers who came to tbe assistance s_» Shippers' Committee in their ditfiZausad who have been promised to be Shied in Po rt eveu - £ter tne ___c had ended. The Chairman «_l they felt 5t their duty as men _j_onor to stand by their promise. It -ttaisopointed out by the Chairman and ■ ___-ambers of the Committee tbat the ___ee_to made by the wharf laborers _H_e_Tttelton Borough Council were not «»rt»_ It haU been stated there that SSvefreelaborers had been engaged on &TOmspere during that particular day, _S list when they left work at night s__, T/oiou men were put on to do the __»work. They omitted to state that <__• -ris one hatch less to work, and aaaeqaentlyfour men {men less wanted: " ftwas also stated that on that day g0 free laborers were engaged against _i_jttelton men, whereas 110 men were __Hidovmby rail to Lyttelton and only fl encaged, and 28 Unionists were given -aswhile _' of the free laborers were . idle. Other particulars were s_o ri?ea as follows:—On Tuesday 69 to lsborers worked and 31 Unionists,-------m thmdaj 6U free laborers and 4_-U-kmiste,- and yesterday 79 Unionists aail 34 free laborers. With regard to another made by Mr Brown that OBSof the bureau clerks bad told.a Bum.Dennis, jtbat none of the Lyttelton awaareto be engaged, the man Dennis had dented ever having made the stateBent, and, besides, if he had done so it ec_d sot be. borne out for this treason, that tto "wages paid .to Unionists, for the five d»ys ending Friday, the 14th toatent, ~as £525, while those paid to t_s" free laborers during the same fitos were only £215. The Com_Jttee expressed great regret thai ttos-were such poverty arid soSeiiog afliongst the women and chiltea is part, bat pointed out that this had "-. bees tnrideatfrom the first, and the Comtaikeewereiano way to blame, for this ec-diUoa c-Uttugs. They were bound to sdheretoii-lr promises made to the free —boT—s. "The Committee's sole object wto-eep the port of Lyttelton open, -indttnyon the shipping business of the srerara, -hey bad done it, and they had «__&*_- The members of the deputation expenses* surprise at .the figures and iofor- . ___—_a supplied to them. > _S3-Ataa stated he had no idea that teK_ gCßeroos advances had been made to t_Hi_a. - lto_!er member of the deputation tksjt-f, that the men had no legitimate gram of complaint. - .ia reply to a question from the deputat—3, whether the Committee would enwsawtlie free laborers to live in port, «• GaumJttee said that, while they N tsm do their utmost to get the men to iMMeis or near Lyttelton. until the free hbprere were treated in a fairer and less -peasant manner by the Unionists, it *#»a sot to be expected that the free impaa would be prepared to sacrifice a»_i-_ie comforts they now enjoy out- *-* Usat borough. Si deputation thanked the Committee Of toeir courteous reception and withvieft, • f 3* deputation from the wharf laborers and the representatives of »_tjttelton Borough Council were inpresent at the interview. opened out with a SS 003 * "^s* 0 tn e number of members *_FSN yesterday, which w,as immediarid the facts already ,^bm above were placed before them. _*Wumittee reiterated the facts in conflow with the engagement of the free !»*_««, aad pointed out that they were «_*»? bouad to stand by the men „„ i Bto °d by them in the |*f dlfficalty. The Unionists could expect tbat they ???«; break their word because the . **_*»_» had now signified their willlng- ; _ffli° _o the work which they volunrWjl. wwdoned. At the _ame time w* tto figures which had been quoted, i r : __f H 6eea thafc tke Unionists had the utmost consideration. remarked by one of the deputa- __,- * r Elinsey was now altering . ™««a rales which had existed before the namely, the extra 2s per day which jSPttd to the leaders of each, gang, S*J» refused to recognise, tho hour S*a war and five on Saturday as g™ l ** pay, and that he would not pay Skf 8 "*! overtime to donkeymen for up steam aud other matters, Pointed out that the Shiphad a stevedore and lead- « of their own, and there would in connection with the Association. These men * t_-J . Permanent hands, and would the work, so tbat there was for casual men acting as - Ss-S? 61 * on extra pay. If, however, in ZvT season it was necessary to give JPsponsibilities to casual hands they *f«d fee paid for it. . IjSL** B suggested that as 100 free 2s«_ were taken down to port, it be prudent on the Unionists* part, *«*J_- t0 P reve nt suffering, to advi'je men to seek employment 4a!__ l erenc e to the Canterbury SteveAssociation, the men expressed very satisfied with the new . S&.oader which the Port of Lyttel--ttfcT^ be w °rked, as they would now »*bM lea Ponsible body, to whom they tfc-T-S!?* 1 m the case of disputes, and _* an y recurrence of difficulties I had recently arisen. ! further conversation, in all j two hours, the deputation i