LABOUR PROBLEMS.

Feilding Star, Volume VIII, Issue 2321, 27 March 1914, Page 4

LABOUR PROBLEMS.

COUNTBY MEMBERS ACTIVE

MR. COBBE'S IMPORTANT MOTION.

At its meeting week the Wellington Harbour Board had a busy night considering three unusually Interesting motions, important because of their bearing upon waterside labour conditions. The two members representing this district on the Board (Mr Cohen and Mr Cobbe) took a very prominent part in laying the foundations for reform. PROPOSALS FOR THE PERMANENTS. 1 Mr Maurice Cohen (Palmerston) moved: "That the recent happenings in connection with the waterside labour, together with the apparent unrest still existing renders necessary a complete change of method and system in the Board's worErig of the port of Wellington. WitK" the view of establishing a better state of things, and removing, for the greater part, those factors which make for the unsatisfactory conditions ■ which, are alleged to exist, the Board take into consideration the following suggestions:— (a) That a sub-committee of the Board be set up to go into the . question of creating a permanent body of waterside labour-

(b) That such body shall be limited to such number as represents the average daily labour labour requirements of tlie Board.

(c) That the workers shall be • guaranteed a reasonable minimum wage per week, but shall be available for all or any work on the wharves or ships as the Board may from time to time direct. But, notwithstanding the minimum wage, but not in addition thereto, the workers are to be paid such sum per hour as is in vogue from time to time for the number of hours worked. ' (d) That the permanent workers, when constituted, will be granted privilege of superannuation scheme, based upon proper ac> tuarial calculations, and permanence of employment during good behaviour and efficiency, and subject to. the right to appeal, as is now the case with the Board's: permanent employees." Speaking to- his motion, Mr Cohen said Vherej had been some objection to the term "minimum wage." He woTold ask to amend his proposal, "by the substitution of the words ""guaranteed wage." If they were going to be committed to an oxtra expenditure of one or two thousands, was it not better to pay that, and so do away with indiistrial upheavals? The extra £2000 was without the bounds of robability,., but the business people, he felt, would sooner subscribe ten times that amount than have a recurrence of the recent upheavals. He had not dealt with the financial side of the proposal, for he suggested that a sub-committee should set up to coif sider the whole scheme. He moved, that the following committee Mhould be set up to consider his motion": Messrs Fletcher, Jones, Wright, Hindmarsh, Daniell, McEv.ran, and the mover.

This, was adopted

THE HOUSING ! SCHEME

Mr John Cobbe (Folding) next 'moved: "That a sclaeme be prepared for the settlement of the married men belonging to the Board's casual workjers on land easily accessible by arail or otherwise, to the city; such scheme to make provision for a rental sufficient to provide for interest, depreciation of buildings, and sinking fund, and that a sub-commit-tee be set up to enquire into and report upon the scheme."

Speaking to ' his motion, Mr Cobbe said he thipught that by this means they could go far towards removing seething unrest and discontent. He suggested that Parliamentary permission should be secured to raise a sum of money sufficient to purchase 500 or 600 acres of flat land, and to erect 500 fiv,e-roomed cottages. If they were going to consider a scheme to employ, say, 750.. permanent hands, they could be assured that 500 of these would be married. It could be a condition of enrolment on the Board's register that the men should reside in the cottages erected. If the land cost £80 an acre, and the houses <£370 each, they could be let at a rate much lpwer than the present rates, and the men would be decently housed.

Mr McEwan (Petone) seconded the motion, and the following committee was set up to consider the scheme: Messrs Fletcher, Trevor, Wright, McEwan, Daniell, and the mover. . PREFERENCE QUESTION. Mr. H. L. Nathan (Wellington) moved: "That the resolution passed on the 17th December, 1913, to the effect, viz., 'That all casual wharf labourers who have joined the new Arbitration Union on or before Bth December, 1913, and who have worked for the Board, shall continue to be offered preference of employment after the strike is over, if, in the opening of the wharfinger and labour foreman, they are satisfactory workers and of good character; and that all additional wharf labourers put on from this date mxißt produce evidence that they are, members of the Arbitration Union and of good character, , be rescinded, and in lieu thereof the following substituted": 'That the Board's labour foreman "be instructed that all members of the Waterside Workers' Union who joined the "Union before 9th December, 1913, must be given preference of employment, if, in the opinion of the wharfinger and labour foreman, they are of good character and satisfactory workers, even though they did not actually work for the Board before 9th December, 1913; and that all additional wharf labourers from this date must produce evidence that they are members of the Arbitration Union. , "

Chairman Fletcher, who opposed the motion, said the resolution passed by the Board on. December 17 had been carried out faithfully.

Mr Nathan, who explained that the object was to rectify any unfairness to the Arbitrationists, declined Mr McEwan , s suggestion to withdraw the motion. TJie shipping companies had done just as much .-as the Harbour Board in carrying out the resolution passed by the Board.

After general discussion, Mr Nathan's resolution was losfc by 8 votes to 5.

receive 20 soys, and third horse 10 eovs out of the stake. Minimum weight 7st 111b. Nomination 1 soy. Acceptance 1 soy- One mile and 54 yards.