NEW DEVELOPMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 40, 17 February 1911, Page 8

NEW DEVELOPMENT.

DISCHARGING THE MANA. WELLINGTON LABOURERS REFUSE WORK. Clouds seem to be gathering on the | horizon of the maritime world, and if Dame Rumour is to act as an indicator of what is to happen, then those clouds may darken and assume seiious aspect. This little upset, which now has all connected with maritime matters in Wellington talking — from waterside workers to general managers — commenced in Patsa towards the end of December. That mouth the wharf workers there joined the Waterside Workers' Union, and on the 20th declined to work theboats unless their demands for rates of pay ruling in other centres — Is 6d per hour and 2s 6d per hour overtime — were granted. They refused to work the steamers then in port — the Aorere, Muna, and Kapuni — and the officers and crews of the vessels discharged and loaded cargo. There were also other demands as to the working of the boats, and at a conference these were all agreed to -mill the exception of the 2s 6d overtime and preference to unionists. To work the boats at Patea, the Patea Shipping Company sent non-unionists there, i-and these men have been loading and unloading tho boats since. The Executive of* the Waterside Woikers' Federation of New Zealand there met the. shipping companies' managers, and the question of a settlement was discussed. The ■Executive wanted the matter referred to Mr. P. Hally as sole arbitrator; the ' managers were agreed to let the -matter j go before a Conciliation Board, and if ! the board could not settle the matter, j then to take it before the Arbitration Court. The Executive was of opinion that it had offered every fair and reasonable opportunity of settling the mat- ! ter quickly. So matters have been for the past i day or two ; there was a deadlock between the parties. The dispute, however, took another turn this morning, when the Patea Shipping Company's steamer Mana arrived from Patea. The | steamer berthed at the Grias-gow wharf, and Harbour Board officials engaged | men of the Wharf Labourers' Union to work at that wharf. They were then told to truck cargo from the Mana, but declined tho engagement. The consoquence is that the vessel is not being unloaded. The Harbour Board officials notified the position of affairs to the Labour Department. They had taken all the action they could to carry out the board's obligations' to the ship, but as "the men would not work they were powerless. Tho chairman of the Harbour Board (Mr. E. Fletcliei-i is endeavouring to effect a compromise in tho matter, and to that end conferred with the waterside workers' executive thk morning. This afternoon he will meet the managers of the companies whose boats trade to Patea, and hf is hopeful of some arrangemeni. being com^ to. The vessels engaged in the Patea trade are the Mana, Kiripaka, and Kapanui, of tlu Patea Shipping Company, and the Aorere, of the Aorere Shipping Company. The Mana has- a ■cargo of cheese for transhipment to the Sussex and A.thenic. The Aorere, which is also in port, leaves this evening for Patea. The chairman of the executive of the Waterside Workers' Federation, the secretary of the local Wharf Labourers' Union, and the managers of the shipping companies, when seen to-day, had nothing to bay concerning the turn affairs had taken. The former were very reticent, and beyond, the fact that the executive was to meet again to-day nothing could be elicited. Seen this afternoon by a Post representative, Mr. Jackson, president of the .executive of the Wateiside Workers, stated that Mr. Fletcher had had a conference with the members of the execu-^ tive in connection with the working ot the Mana, and the members were still agreed to accept Mr. Hally as arbitrator, but if that was not acceptable to the steamship owners they were agreeable that two other independent arbitrators should be appointed to act Avith Mr. Hally. So far as the Department of Labour is concerned, an oflicial explained to a Post reporter that no action is taken in cases where the men simply decline to accept an engagement. The law caunot compel unwilling workers to accept a particular contract. If, on the other hand, the men had accepted an engagement, and then refused to carry it out, a prosecution would probably follow the special circumstances and objects of the workers to determine who shall be the defendants. The purposes which justify the taking of pioceedings are set i forth in the Act. j