WHARP LABOUR

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 50, 28 February 1914, Page 6

WHARP LABOUR

COMPLAINT PROM THE OLD UNION DEPUTATION TO THE PRIME •• MINISTER. Complaints about the condition of affairs along "the waterfront at Wellington were made .by a deputation from the old Waterside Workers' Union to the Right Hon. W. F. Massey to-day. The depu> tation was not open to the press, but a Post reporter was given a brief account of 'what took place. The deputation complained against tho present conditions, and ■ that preference was being given to a section of the men, though all of them belonged to the same organisation. That would mean that one small section of the organisation would receive wages far in excess of their fel-low-workers, and thus tend to create an autocratic minority. What the majority of members desired was "a fair field and jio, favour"— full liberly to compete for labour, as wa* tho case before the strike. It was pointed out that there are at present about 670 preference _ men and 1300 not privileged in that direction, and it was hoped that all should be given an equal opportunity to get employment. It was also suggested that the position would become more acute as the winter advanced, and the deputation urged the necessity of opening up other avenues of.employment. Further, the deputation protested against the action of the new union in refusing members the opportunity of meeting together and discussing the business of the union, and also against the action i of the executive in refusing to carry out the resolution o£ the meeting held on 7th February. The executive of the new union had, it was urged, accepted the men's entrance fees, and now refused to allow them to have a voice ,in the expenditure of their own money. The "old union had, it was stated, written, a letter to the Labour Department On the subject, asking that the matter be brought before the Arbitration Court, sitting in March, but no answer had been received. It is gathered that the deputation was accorded' a very sympathetic reception by the Prime Minister. It was, ho said, the first time he had had all opportunity of hearing their side of the case. Ho would cause full enquiry to be made on oath into the whole of the working of the waterfront at Wellington. He would bring the matter before his colleagues, and he could see how absolutely necessary it was that some action should be ' taken. Also he would take steps to see that other avenues of employment were provided, as asked by the deputation, and he would also make enquiry as to" why no answer had been sent by the Labour Department to a letter referred to. ,

Mr. C. Duncan has been engaged on the Arapawa as second engineer. Mr. \V. Whyte, second engineer of Ihe 3farori, has joined the Tahiti as third. Mr. C. McLean has taken Mr. Whyte's position on the Karon.