WHARF WORK ON SUNDAYS.

Evening Post, Volume LVII, Issue 22, 27 January 1899, Page 6

WHARF WORK ON SUNDAYS.

NOT IN WELLINGTON. Another effort was made yesterday to induce the Wellington Harbour Board to sanction Sunday work on the wharves, but the Board holds that the law is "agin it," and, furthermore, it is not desirable, consequently it reiterated its former decision not to allow it. The subject cropped up in a letter from the Secretary of the Postal Department, covering a communication from the general manager of the New Zealand Shipping Company, drawing attention to the serious delay to the Vancouver mail steamers whenever they arrive here on Sundays because of the Board's regulations prohibiting the discharge of vessels on that day. The detention here, it was stated, inconvenienced Sydney people in their replies by the outward mail. The Board's proposal that the vessels should discharge into a hulk in the stream was inconvenient, inasmuch as there was not a suitable hulk for the work, and it would be inadvisable to transfer perishable cargo such as fruit to a hulk used as a collier. Under the circumstances the Postmaster General would be glad if the Board saw its way to reconsider the matter, so us to allow the landing of cargo at one or other of the wharves, and otherwise facilitate the discharging and the prompt departure of the Vancouver steamers arriving on Sundays. The Auckland Board granted these facilities. To this the Secretary of the Board had replied that the Board was advised that it would be illegal to work cargo on Sundays, and until the law of the colony was altered it was unable to authorise the work. Work on the wharf, even the receipt of cargo, could not be considered work of necessity, and the exemption in the Police Offences Act would not extend to persons employed upon a wharf. As to there not being a suitable hulk, the hulk Rowena was specially fitted for handling cargo, and the storeships Arawata and William Manson could be fitted for the purpose at a small cost. Mr. Ferguson also combated the contention that the delay caused inconvenience. In another letter the Secretary of the Postal Department said it had been understood that the Board's regulation prohibiting the discharge of cargo on Sunday was framed irrespective of the Police Offences Act, with the intention of minimising Sunday laboui, but it was thought that under the exceptional circumstances the discharging of the Vancouver mail steamers might be considered a work of necessity. The Board, as ulveady stated, adhered to its former decision not to r>enr>^ Sunday labour,