WHARF LABOUR PROBLEM

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22551, 5 November 1938, Page 18

WHARF LABOUR PROBLEM

♦ ROYAL COMMISSION SOUGHT REMIT BEFORE CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE (rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND. November 4. The setting up of a Royal Commission with power to secure evidence compulsory from all parties concerned was urged in a remit dealing with waterfront labour which was placed before the annual conference of the Associated Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand by Mr J. A. C. Allum for the Auckland chamber. The remit also stated that the conference viewed with dismay the policy of drift which obtained in connexion with the unsatisfactory conditions on the waterfront. "Recently." said Mr Allum, "the Auckland chamber has had occasion to investigate numerous complaints of over-carriage of urgently-needed goods on through steamers at Auckland, and of the faildre of vessels on a tight schedule to accept goods for Auckland for fear of inability to unload in the time available. One shipping company actually ddes not carry goods between Australian ports and Auckland. The present state of affairs results in high costs, and handicaps New Zealand merchants in their endeavours to obtain Pacific Islands trade. "The official reasons given for the | fact that the freight rates from Sydney to Suva and Auckland to Suva are identical, although the distance from Sydney is almost double, mainly rest on the long time taken to work cargo at Auckland compared with the position at Sydney. Importers certainly suffer a good deal of trouble and annoyance, but high costs are a burden on the whole community, and the loss of island trade means the loss of work for those engaged in factories and in distribution. "By some, the waterside workers are blamed for the existing conditions," said Mr Allum, "and these workers retort with the claim that inadequate equipment and Inefficiency on the pw\ of the employers are the causes. .The Auckland chamber is not in possession of the evidence necessary to enable a judgment to be formed, and it is hard to get information, because the wouldbe informants are afraid of victimisation." Mr M. G. C. McCaul (Wellington) said that the executive of the Associated Chambers was greatly concerned with conditions on the* waterfront. The majority of the executive felt that a Royal Commission was the only way the matter could be handled. The remit was adopted unanimously.