WATERSIDE WORKERS.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 226, 17 June 1908, Page 8

WATERSIDE WORKERS.

: IMPROVEMENT OF CONDITIONS.--A " banner with',a strange device" hung 1 /rom' tho Queen's Statue at noon yesterday. • ' Oil -the. left of" the banner, was shoivn' $' - palatial edifice, ' occupying , a fine corner site, and bearing tho. inscription Workers' Accident Institute." 'Above tho building flew a flag of novel design. A, '. shovel and wharf-man's hook, crossed, formed an emblem new to heraldry. In a corner blazed the star of hope, and the red Geneva ■:0v ~' cross ■ completed: the device. 'On the, other side of the banner a rough wharf labourer • and spruce doctor were raising a wharfworker, supposed to have been'injured by an accident. The centre , of, the- banner was filled by an enormous representation of tho humble ".threepenny." " For 3d." ran the legend. The ■ interpretation thereof is-that ' with an additional subscription per man of ■ 3d: per week to, Union funds, Mr. G. G. Farland hopes to. provide his accident insurance scheme for waterside workers, and sundry other benefits.,; .. ' . . _ Mr. Farland was to havo addressed a meeting at the Statute yesterday, but torrents of rain prevented his design. 1 The banner gave his general messago to the crowd, and Mr. Farland and ; other workers gave a few additional particulars to a Pressman. Mr. :. ... Farland statad that when the fund is pro- . perly established, a-telephone'will be placed on the wharf, by means of which the secre-' ' . , tary of the Waterside Workers' Union may be notified' immediately an accident, occurs. The secretary; will render first aid, and tclo- - 1 ■ phone for. a doctor. Some time ago a man was killed on ono of. tho shipsMn port. Tho poor broken body was taken to the morgue; the polico examiued the man's pockets; they ~r contained £1 lis. Gd. It is said that 7s. 6d. of this sum was taken, to pay for the removal • of' the corpso to the mortuary. 'Wharf • labourers who come to sudden ends seldom . ; leave much;' cash' behind them. Often thoy leave families. When the accident fund is established, it will cover morgue expenses, , - amongst othors. . It is suggested, also, that under tho , new ; ' . ' . scheme tho secretary of tho Union, when an • accident happens, shall -'send' notice to the shipping company, when a legal action is in-, tended, and carry, through the Court the. .•workers', claim for compensation. He- will • \ also keep a record of tho causes of all accidents, so that safeguards may be asked for under any special, circumstances that may make for risks.

important duty of tho secretary will be to ascertain .the ownership of vessels on which accidents may occur. It is stated that when a worker brings a claim for accident against a shipping company it is. not always easy to prove ownership of the vessel. .Twelve months ago,'the workers narrate, .a deputation waited on the Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Marine, and asked if it were true that men might bo maimed or killed while working for a certain shipping company, and legal action be impossible because the company had no agent in New Xeaiand who could bo hold responsible. TIIO Minister "is said to havo expressed rogrct that the position was as stated, aud promised to take steps to havo it altered. Nothing had, however, been done. Mr. Farland states _ that ho has already received offers of assistance in his scheme until the Uijion has a sinking fund. Several local organisations have arranged to ! fciv« practical help.