THE WATERFRONT

Evening Post, Volume CXXIV, Issue 96, 20 October 1937, Page 20

THE WATERFRONT

STOPPAGE OF WORK

SERIOUS VIEW TAKEN

The serious effects arising from the stoppage of work on the waterfront were emphasised at the meeting of the Wellington Chamber of Commerce last night, and as a result of the discussion it was decided to ask the president (Mr. A. J. Curtis) to bring the matter forward for consideration at the conference of the Federated Chambers of Commerce at Timaru early next month. The subject was introduced by Mr. A. Curtis, who said that the stoppages were becoming a rather serious matter for the shipping community and the commercial community generally. It was really a national matter, but he thought it just as well that the chamber should draw attention publicly to the hindrances and delays that were occurring. Mr. M. G. C. McCaul said he thought the matter a very important one. Many people did not realise the obstacle to the raising of the standard of living created by waste. The more waste there was, the less comfort there was, the less the people bad to provide for the future and tne less they had to use today. Stoppages represented immense economic waste. Interest on machinery went on forever. The only way to raise the standard of living was by applying labour intelligently, so that the machinery was not lying idle. To keep ships and harbour equipment idle while men were talking at a stop-work meeting was utter folly . It added to the costs of goods the people used. How in the world could the country have a high standard of living while there was waste? People had differences of opinion, he knew, but there were courts to provide for that, and quarrels and difficulties should be settled at

such times and in such ways as would not cause' the stoppage of machinery and production. Captain S. Holm raised the question of whether it was any use the chamber discussing the matter in view of the Government's promise of a commission to go into work on the waterfront. Would it not be better to leave it to the commission? Mr. McCaul: But there should not be these stoppages; that is my point. INCREASED COSTS. Mr. J. T. Martin said he supported the suggestion that the matter should be raised at the forthcoming conference at Timaru. Not only the stoppages but the actual work done on the wharves called for comment. Throughout New Zealan' the attitude adopted by the wharf labourers was continually being criticised. He said he had heard of the case of 54 tons of cargo having been loaded at Melbourne at the same cost as 14 tons were unloaded in this country. He had been informed that loading costs in New Zealand were ah~ut double what they were in Sydney. It was not only the number of men employed, but it was also the type of the labour. Men were not working in the same way as they did some years ago.. He had heard it said that in Wellington the cost of unloading had increased 50 per cent, within the last four years. There were some things to which they could submit, but in a matter of this kind it was the people who had to pay and he thought it called for serious remonstrance. Concessions had been given to the wharf labourers to such an extent that they had now reached the point where they practically defied the employer. He would be pleased to see the matter ventilated at the conference of the federated chambers.