OFFICERS ON WATERFRONT

Evening Star, Issue 22636, 30 April 1937, Page 13

OFFICERS ON WATERFRONT

UNIFORMS TO BE WORN PROPRIETY OF BOARD'S DECISION CONCILIATION PROCEEDINGS PENDING The fact that pilots and berthing officers of the Otago Harbour Board were" carrying out their duties without being - clothed in ' the uniform Usually associated with men in their, professions was revealed at last night’s meeting of the board. For over an hour, uniforms and the. question of their provision was 1 discussed by the board, which lapsed into its habits of a few- years ago of failing- to observe the standard rules of debate. The discussion was desultory, ; members repeating their views at the slightest opportunity, A-notice of motion, by Mr D. Copland caused the protracted discussion. He moved: “ That the 1 board consider its previous finding regarding the question of payment’ of 'uniforms.” : "Explaining his motion, 'Mr Copland, characterised the - board’s: decision to pay half the cost of - uniforms as niggardly. At’ the other three main ports—Auckland,. . Wellington; ; and Lyttelton—the boards paid the- full cost; i

It . was pointed out early in the discussion by. the chairman; (Mr J. B. Waters) that the question of the provision of uniforms was to be discussed .at the" Conciliation Council next week, when, the Harbour Board Employees’ Union .would ask that, when- employees, were required to wear uniforms, such should be provided by the boards. However, . members were desirous of discussing l the point. Mr J. H. Duncan ana shipping members of the board emphasised the necessity of pilots or berthing officers being correctly dressed in uniforms, as their commands were likely to bo misinterpreted when the' officers 'were dressed in ordinary clothes and boarded ships, the captains of which were unfamiliar with the port officials. Mr Duncan said that during the depression the board decided that the officers would, have to provide thgir own uniforms and the result was that when their suits were worn out the officers were faced with the question of whether or not they should wear uniforms. That was the cause of the present position. - "A long discussion ensued, during which Mr E. S. Thompson chided the representatives of the shipping companies with their advocacy of ' the wearing of uniforms. “Do the shipping companies pay for the ' uniforms, of the officers of their ships p ” he Mr J. H. Duncan: What has that to do with the Otago Harbour Board? There was derisive laughter from the shipping representatives. Mr Thompson said he was very interested -to hear the. advocacy of, the shipping representatives while their companies did not pay one cent towards the, costs of the officers’ uniforiris.

“How’do you know? ” asked Mr Duncan.

Mr Thompson: Well, they don’t. That is the most amusing thing.

The. motion was carried but there followed-a discussion,as to what its ef-, feet would bo oh the previous decision of the board to pay half cost. The upshot was that Mr Copland moved, and Mr J. H. Duncan seconded: “ That employees, who customarily wear uniforms be supplied with them at the cost of the board. and that such officers be required to wear the uniforms when on duty.” The secretary _ (Mr James Renton) said his information was that tho Wellington Board paid half tho cost of the uniforms.

Mr Thompson moved ns an amendment that the question be deferred till the nest meeting of the board in view of the Conciliation Council proceedings, By its proposed decision, he said, tho board was simply adding evidence against the Dominion boards at the Conciliation Council sitting. An appeal was made ,by Mr W. Begg that the board should uphold the tacit agreement reached by representatives of the Harbour Board that nothing should be done by individual boards to weaken the Dominion case.

The amendment was defeated, Messrs Begg, R. Duncan, J. Preston, and Thompson voting for it, and the motion was declared carried.