WATERFRONT CONTROL

Press, Volume LXXVI, Issue 23080, 24 July 1940, Page 10

WATERFRONT CONTROL

APPOINTMENT OF

COMMISSION

MINISTER’S DEFENCE OF

SCHEME

[From Our Parliamentary Reporter.]

WELLINGTON, July 23,

Claiming that the best men available had been appointed to the Waterfront Control Commission, the Minister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) said in the House of Representatives to-night that all members would agree later that the scheme was a success.

Mr A. E. Jull (Opposition, Waipawa) pointed out in the debate on the Labour Department’s Estimates, in which more than £14.550 is provided for the commission scheme, that producers and importers were not represented on the commission. The Minister said earlier that the controllers had been paid more than the Government’s controllers.

An Opposition member; By whom? The Minister: The shipping companies. I am not going to apologise for the appointments, and I want to tell members that it would be better for them to glance over past conditions. For the last 30 years there have been nothing but moaning and grumbling about the control of the ' waterfront.

An Opposition member: Not as long as that. The results since the commission was established were from 30 to 40 per cent, better, said the Minister, and more than* 220 ships had been worked textended hours. Unless the commission had great powers the scheme would break down. He was convinced (that when the scheme was fully operating for a month or two all members would agree that the Government had gone a long way to solve one of the most difficult problems the country had .had to face. Arrangements were now made for the contract system of working at Bluff and Timaru. Mr W. J. Poison (Opposition. StratJford): Tell us about the costs. “The costs are really cheaper, and 4he shipping companies and workers (fwill benefit from it,” replied Mr IWebb. “It is a case of better and fcloser economic organisation.” •Mr F. W. Doidge (Opposition, Tautanga): Why are not producers and Importers represented? “The best men were appointed,” reblied Mr Webb. Captain McLeod Was recognised as the best stevedore on the country, and Captain Price was £ fully qualified shipping man. Mr [James Roberts, who represented the Workers, had spent more than a quarter of a century making a close study, of waterfront conditions in all parts Of the world. He was one of the very big men in the transport industry. Mr J. A. Lee (Democratic Labcur,

Grey Lynn): Physically, ‘ “He is responsible for the mess you bre in now,” said Mr H. G. Dickie '<Opposition, Pa tea), „ , Mr Webb declared that Mr Roberts . ftvas ihe Bevin of New Zealand. • , Mr W. J. Broadfoot (Opposition, waitomo): Everybody knows King *“Was he promised a job before the . (conference?” asked Mr Lee. “No,” replied the Minister, with temphasis. . . , “I agree that the men in control Should be well paid,” said Mr BroadIfoot, resuming .the subject later, or (course, these men are in control —ox the Government.” . . Mr Jull said the commission had not fixed any rate of pay for waterside .•workers between 5 pm. on Saturday - tend Monday morning. It was Rafferty (rules between those periods. The ar- ■ jrangement was that men should come ?o an amicable arrangement with the employers for those periods, and the arrangement agreed on was 7s an hour. Opposition voices: What, in war Minister had not given sufficient about the co-operative contract system, Mr Jull added. It was a*heads T win, tails you lose” sort of (arrangement, because if there was any surplus over the amount fixed lor handling cargo a ton, the men were to (get it. . . • The Minister; Who should get it? “I think it. should be known,” said iMr C W. Boswell (Government, Bay faf Islands) “that the greater number of {members of the House offer the MimsIter their heartiest congratulations on fche way he is handling the waterfront in which for the first time Stor many years it is possible to see faaylight”