NGAHERE DREDGE DISPUTE

Greymouth Evening Star, 3 December 1940, Page 2

NGAHERE DREDGE DISPUTE

TRADE COUNCIL’S STATEMENT. An allegation that the onus for the protraction of the dispute between the Ngahere Gold Dredging Company and its employees, which has already idled the dredge for a week, is on the Minister of Labour (Mr Webb) and the Company, was made in a statement issued by the West Coast Trades and Labour Council. No developments have occurred in regard to the dispute, which, will be discussed by the National Council of the Federation of Labour at Wellington to-morrow, when a representative of the Dredge Workers’ Union will be present. The Trades Council’s official statement was as follows: —

“The Council is of the definite opinion that the action of the Company in locking out the men was a distinct breach of the I.C. and A. Act, and it condemns such action in the strongest manner possible. We ask all unionists on the West Coast to give all possible financial and moral support for the Ngahere men. “The statements of Mr Davis, Chairman of Directors of the Company, that he has made every possible effort to end the dispute, will not stand analysis. He did not inform Mr Webb that he told the Union and Trades’ Council representatives in the presence of a Labour Department official (who attended at the request of both parties, to act as independent chairman if so required), that he did not give a hoot if •he dredge did not start until after Christmas, and he did not mention that he wanted to settle the question of payment by the toss of a coin. ‘The whole dispute could, and should, have been settled on Monday evening, when the Union asked for intervention by Mr Webb on receipt of the notice dismissing the men. The onus for the protraction of this dispute is on the Minister of Labour and the Company. We appeal to all unions to protest against the Company’s action and would point out that the action of a member of the War Council in holding up the production of such an important commodity as gold at the present time, is deplorable.”

[to the editor.] Sir, —As a spectator, I have been greatly interested in reading _ the statements which have appeared in the various papers outlining the apparent rights and wrongs of the dispute. I gather that had the men worked the dredge on the statutory holiday (King’s Birthday) that they would have drawn time and a-halt wages, as per -dredge award, and I also discovered that all the other large dredges operated on that day, also the coal miners worked. Now, what I would like to know is why did not the employees of the Ngahere dredge work that day like the others? No one has said a word on that point. Perhaps the Dredge Workers’ Union leaders would clear this up.—Yours, ptc ’’ . “ONLOOKER.”