WATERSIDE WORK OR WAR?

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 280, 15 August 1918, Page 6

WATERSIDE WORK OR WAR?

BALLOT APPEALS^

INVESTIGATION BY MILITARY BOARD

CAN MEN BE SPARED?

Yesterday the First Wellington Military Service Board dealt with over seventy appeals. Tho board consisted of Messrs. D. G. A. Cooper, S.M.,' D. M'Laren and W. Perry.

Courtenay Ford appealed on the ground sthat.he was an Australian citizen. Tho appeal, was allowed. Decision was reserved sine dio in tho case of Arthur P.'Gibson, master mariner, in tho service of the South Taranaki Shipping Co. Union Company's Appeals. . The board reserved its decision sine die in appeals by the Union Steam Ship Co. for tne following:—Joseph D. Frew, master mariner; Arumrliusxace Barlow, master mariner, Wellington; Ivo Roydon Gilmour, marino engineer, Dunedin; Peter H. Macdonald, marino engineer, Dunedin; Montague Charles Alexander, Auckland; Ivon Morrison Barr, marino officer, Wellington; Andrew Wm. Duncan, marine officer, Auckland; Arthur Henry Davey, master mariner, Auckland; Mugn Jioskings VVilhoms, master mariner, Eosslyn; Percy Harold .King, marine officer, Mornington; Jasper Neale, traffic .manager. Island Bay; B-obert J. .D. Jackson-Fowler, marine officer, Wellington; B. S. Dickie, marine engineer; Win. Niiismjf.li. chief engineer; Henry Bayne; marino officer; F. H. .Edge, master-mar-iner; G. D. Fraser, marine officer.

It was stated that 35 men from the Wellington staff had volunteered for tho front, and there had been 85 changes .on the' staff since September, 1916. Now they were carrying on largely with inexperienced nieu, boys, and women. Mental Hospital Employees, The Inspector-General of Mental Hospitals appealed for John M'Leod, attendant, Seacliff; James .Ireland, gardener, Seacliff; Wm. Glenday, attendant', Seaelilf; bamuol LiMuer, attendant, Eiccarton ;j James Maxwell Fyfe, attendant, Seaelilf; James Crii.il. iuteiKlant l/.l'okanui; Walter Geo. Lofley. plumber, Tokanui; Wm; Joseph Thomas, clerk and storekeeper, Seacliff 5 Win. Eeid, farm hand, Seacliff; Robert' Hugh M'Millan, Seacliff; Henry Q. G. Manson, attendant, Spreydon; John Bell, attendant, Sunnyside; Wm. Harrison Ellwood, at■tendarit, Seacliff.

The board reserved its decision, sine die in all cases exwpl that of Lofley, whom the Department was requested to endeavour to ■ replace. Dr. Gow, who represented the Department in the appeals, said that no appeals for single men had t beeu made. There was now a shortage of snitable men. and some experienced.men must bo retained.

The Waterside Workers. The Waterside Workers; Union appealed for the following waterside workers:—Ernest .Frederick Graham, John Charles Gaudry, Arthur Victor Garrod, Edward Logan, Hugh Savage Pollock, Edgar .Vincent . Sheppard, James Munkell Robb, Alfred Charles Sharp, George Frederick Newton, William James Owens, John Stewart, John James M'Cormack, William Alexander . Johnston, Thomas Halsall,.E. Dyson, Eobort M'Donald, Robert Scott, Fred Lewis Stapleton, William Alex. Pringle, Albert Hewett, Harry M'Donald, Ernest JJildred, John- William Wilson, Albert Ernest Hackett, John Thorndon Chahan. Lear Redpnth, Joseph Beverley, Edward Whitfield Stuart, James Smith, Willium Shorter. Jesse Henry Tointon, William Frederick Newson, Augstino Sevan, Albert O'Brien, Harry Kay Bundy, Charles Roubin Middleditch, John Coughlan, Alexander Lawson, Micha«l Cheevers, Arthur Johns, Peter Lloyd, John Shand, Arthur Henry ! Ellendcn, William Herbert Preston, William Valentino Ellen, Patrick Murphy, Arthur Leo M'Speerin. Mr. J. G. Bruce represented the Waterside Union.-

It was stated that Robert M'Donald and Robert Scott were in camp, .and their appeals were adjourned for further investigation. Question of Releasing Men for the Front. Mr. Percy asked. Mr. Bruce: Have you many returned men on the wharves? Mr. Bruce: I should say there are not twenty. . , They don't fancy going back to the long hours on the wharves. Mr. Perry: I notice by the papers that in Auckland returned men arc looking tor work, and it seems that the time has come when there are returned men fit to take up work. In reply to questions, Mr. Bruce said that the wharves now had more "allround'' men than previously: at one time men used to specialise more. Mr. Perry: So that if some of theso men were.sent away it would not make so much difference.

Mr. Bruce: Of course, it would. We average an accident a day now under the best conditions, and it is going to make our occupation a very bad one to bo in' if the men there are going to be replaced by inexperienced men. Mr. Perry said that agricultural work. ' ers were being taken for the war. Mr. Bruce: It is no use killing the 6heep.if you have no one to stow them in the hold. Shipping is a most important industry.

Mr. Perry: Tho ploughmen in the country are experts at their work, and are important men. and many ploughmen are going. Mr. M'Laren nsked if any proportion of the men could be set free for military service The railways had spared a proportion, of their men. Mr. Bruce: The railway service had to be reduced to permit that to bo done. I don't see how tlie shipping services are to bo reduced.

Mr. M'Laren: Can a certain proportion be relieved? Air. Bruce: I say they cannot. If you send any men they will have to be replaced by men who aro not half so competent. ... We think we must hold these men for the safety of all. Mr. Porry asked if shipping bad not fallen off in the last few years. Mr. Bruce: Yes; there has been «ome drop. ' ' Mr. Bruce said that in January, 1913, there were 1900 men working on tho wharves, and to-day there were about 1300 or 1400. A Harbour Board Witness. Captain Munro, traffic manager and chief wharfinger for the Wellington Barbour Board, stated that the number of men of military age in tho board's cmploy was 194—married 153, single 40, widower one. Of the 194, 109 were C 2 or returned soldiers. -Therefore, taking an average of one man in four as likely to lie classed fit, the board would stand to lose about 20 men. The board had made no special appeal up to the present for permanent, or casual workers in his department, but it was obvious that the port could not bo worked on the presont average of men owing to t'lie spasmodic movements of shipping. The effective work of tho port must be maintained. The chairman: What would you say if the 85 eligiblo mon you have were called up and taken? Captain Munro: We could still icarry on. The chairman: You could? Captain Munro: Yes, because I don't supposo more than one in four would pass. Mr. M'Laren: Have you ever gone into tho question of releasing- 1 eligible men for military service? Captain Munro: No. Mr. M'Laren: What would be the effect of taking the men ou to-day's list? Captain Munro: It would make no marked effect with the present state of the port. Tho board said that the Harbour Board should etalo the irreducible minimum. Mr. M'Laren: What would be the effect if all the fit eligible men were taken? Captain Munro said that it would bo necessary to retain, experienced cranedrivers. Mr. Bruce: Do I understand that those figures of Captain Munro's are to bo accepted? I question them. Mr. Bruce said also that Captain

Munro's figures as to the percentages of fit men were wrong. About 45 per cent, of the men passed and 55 per cent, wero rejected. William H. Ci. Bennett, manager of Iho Wellington Co-operative Waterside Employers' Association, said that thore were about 1200 men on the wharves and an averago of 1000. The trade was so spasmodic, that on one day there might be men out" of work and on the next day 1200 would not be enough. Tho men called at present were about the pick of tho wharves, and if they wero taken' they would be replaced by inferior men. There was less work, per man, done on Iho wharves to-day than formerly, and that was because many good men had left for tho front. During the year there had been many vessels stuck up because there were not enough men to work them. Mr. Bruce: Often through nn insufficiency of Harbour Board men—was it not? Mr. Bennett (laughing): I would rather not say. In all cases except the two referred to above (Scott and R. M'Donald), the board reserved its decision. The board sits again ttis morning.