WHARF LABOURERS. THEIR NEEDS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 26, 31 January 1908, Page 3

WHARF LABOURERS. THEIR NEEDS.

WAITIXG-ROOMS AND BATHS. THE ENGINEER'S REPORT. The desirability of providing a moro satisfactory room for wharf employees than that now doing duty, and the necessity for establishing hot and' cold water baths, was reported ujon by the engineer (Mr. W. Fcrgucon) al the meeting of th« board ypsterchy afternoon. The objection had' been advanced that the present room v>ns> unsuitable bpcauw: it vats not situated on the ground flogr, that it gave no oppoitunity for scouring a proper division of labour, and that gambling was carried on there, and that, further, the loom was frequented by undesirables. Mr. Ferguson, in the course, of his report, stated: — "H if, apparently desired that in place of one waiting-ioom there should be separate rooms — one each for the exclusive uso of the four principal classes of labour, and one or more for those employees who- work for more than on& employer, or who. being sailor or other men out of employment, aro desirous ot working for any ono who will give them employment. Such an arrangement might be satisfactory if a suitable site, or suitable sites, could ba obtained, provided the lin-es of demarcation between the various groups of labour are sufficiently well defined. The engineer is of opinion that would b-s found in practice- that this is not so, that tbe/£> are cliques amongst men in tho. sirao class of employment, and tha grc-atesu safety against malp'\ictioes and> abuses lies in having the places of 'engagement as large aud as open as possible."' THE BATH QUESTION. After suggesting one or two possible sites for another waiting-room, v the engineer dealt with tlie, bath question. It is not clear, he said, that the boaid h.ia statutory power to provide bath accommodation for even its own employees, much less for the whole of the waterside workers, and hs respectfully points out that under section 347 of the Municipal Corporations Act, 1300, the City Council are authorised to eract baths and wash-houses. "If the board deem that it i 3 de-sirablo that the objects en which its harbour fund can be expended should be extend-ed to include b-ith appliances for waterside v. orkc-rs, then it will be desirable to consult its solicitors an to whether such, an extension is necessary, and, if so, to approach Parliament either to givo it special, or all hriTbour boards general, powers in this direction." He went on to say that if baths wee provided, lc-l^ers, in which to keep a change of clothes, would also appear an essontnl. Summarising his findings, hs slated: — SUGGESTION'S. The engineer has not at tho present stage- made plans or estimates, desiring some, more specific instructions as to tho magnitude and scops of tli-o baths scheme. He is of opinion that baths, to be of any real service to the bulk of tho woiking n-.e 1 ), cannot be installed at or ECdr the present waiting-room. He i« unable to suggest any bettor foasiblo site for wai'ii tic; -l coin or rooms and for batbs than thos,e outlined ?boye nearer to the present wharves and centres of work than Taranaki-stvect, on the on?, hand, and Waterlop-qu-iy, on tho othei. Ho is of opinion that if special conveniences are to be provided lor watersidb workers, all employers of labour, and not merely the Harbour Board, should contribute to their cost bolh of installation and of upkeep. Thai if baths aro to bo installed,,, the board and other employers should go further, and ' provide men's institutes. That any baths, or mon's institutes, ,must, to bo of any real service, ba open continuously over very 10113 hours fiom early morning at kafat until the civ p:a lure oi the last' t'*ain at night. , That Lhe Hnvbour Board and other employers should consider, in connection wit n ,\,ny schemes of waitingrooms as places of engagement, the question — at present Geriov.c and likely to become moio serious — of the loss of time and pjyment th-u-elor by men and foremen in iiansit to the place of work. That before long it will be necessary to continue the tramway &e>rvice round Waterloo-quay, so as to five speedy access from one part to another of the water-fro^t with a continuous running burvice thereon. Some discussion took place on a motion by Mr. R. Fletcher that consideration of tho rpport should he postponed. Mr. W. T. Wood moved ar, au amendment that the matter .should be considered forthwith. Another suggestion was r\adc thai a. special meeting should he luicl to consider the potation, and tiv's raised the iie 'of Mr. Wood, who protested against postponement; Both the. motion and an ame-ndaionfc tr, hold a special meeting wcra defeated, and tli3 board proceeded to consideration of the report. Mr Harold Beauchamp then moved — "That the repoit lie upon the table. "' Mr. Fletcher moved as an amendment — "'That the report be adopted." Mi. Beaucharap's motion was carried by 7 votes to 3.