WATERSIDE WORK

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 74, 29 March 1922, Page 7

WATERSIDE WORK

CASE FOR ARBITRATION

EXPERT WITNESS EXAMINED

TESTIMONY NOT CONCLUDED.,

Cross-examination of Captain Walton stevedoring expert and wharf superiw tendent for the Union Steam Ship Com pany, continued throughout the hearing yesterday afternoon of ■ the Wellington waterside workers' dispute before th« Arbitration Court. His Honour Mr* Justice Frazer presided, with Messrs, W. Scott and M. J. Eeardon as assessors for employers and employees respect tively, Mr. W. G. Smith, appeared for the employers—the applicants in the case —and Mr. J. Roberts and Mr. J. Gt, Bruce for the respondent union.

Mr. Roberts : "Captain Walton, you said yesterday you. had never known the union give any assistance in controlling the men and getting them to do the work?"

Captain Walton: "And I say now, that I have never known the union do anything to facilitate operations;. the union has done nothing; but resist, stop,. and hamper operations."

"Did we not give you our assurance that the men would not leave their work before the time—we admitted that there were a few men in the habit of leaving early—and we did our utmost to stop it and it stopped?" "It did not!". "It did." Captain Walton : "The employers had to stop it themselves." Mr. Roberts : "It stopped." In answer to a further question Captain Walton said it was not a fact that the output of coal depended .on the men in charge.

Mr. Roberts: "How do you account' for the fact that where,we have gangs working under their own foreman,. we get a bigger output?" Witness : "I suppose he is standing over them all the time."

"Otherwise, he looks after his business."

On the question of night work, the witness said he did not remember discussing it at the Waterside Commission.

Mr. Roberts : "Is that a creditable statement to make? Do you think plank work is safe?"

The witness remarked that he had not done it; He,had accepted the winchman's tally of coal in. 90 per cent, of cases for the delivery ■of the coal.

Much detailed technical evidence fol-t lowed on the working of ship's gear etc.-,

On the question of "stop-work" meetings, the witness admitted that the employers had granted "stop-work" .meetings right through New Zealand for the purpose of allowing the discussion of the terms of a proposed agreement. In reply to Mr. Bruce the witness snid the "duds" he referred to among the union men N were those men who hung round the wharves playing g-ames. but not wanting work. There were about 200 of them. There wer.3 several public speakers among them. They were inefficient workers, loafers, humbugs.

Mr. Bruce : "I don't know any members of the union who are loafers? Are men not entitled to earn their living in the country?" Witness': "They are entitled to do work."

The .witness said he -would like to to back to pre-1917 days for freedom from, limitations.

Mr. Bruce quoted from the agreement of 1912, providing . for the transfer of labour, if there were no competent men waiting for employment. ■ ■ .■■■.: The court adjourned at 5.20 p.m. until this morning.