Beer Boycott Issue Causes Stoppage At Kumara Sawmill

Greymouth Evening Star, 16 October 1947, Page 7

Beer Boycott Issue Causes Stoppage At Kumara Sawmill

The beer boycott today entered a new and more serious phase causing industrial disunity which threatens to idle a sawmill in the Cumara district. This is the outcome of a refusal by bushmen to work with a single fellow-worker who has declined to accept the ruling of ais union to boycott hotels charging 7d for a glass of beer. Only one bushman reported for work at the mill—McGrath’s mill at Dillmanstown—this morning, the other six members of the Dush crew having indicated to the management that they would not work with this man while he continued to patronise the hotel at Dillmanstown which retailed beer for 7d. As a result, no logs are being made available and some of the workers at the mill itself returned home after a half-day’s work.

The mill employs about 17 men, and has a daily timber output of almost 6000 superficial feet. Unless felling in the bush is resumed tomorrow, it is almost certain that the whole mill will be idled next week. Has Not Missed Once The bushman whose action has led to the discontent of the othei 1 workers has not missed his after-work beer once in the three months that the hotel has been in the hands of the present licensees, reported Mrs E. Conlan, the proprietor’s wife this afternoon. She added that his action had been constantly criticised by his fellow-workers though, at the same time, many of them patronised the hotel during the week-ends.

The bushmen are reported to have declared yesterday that if the man defying the union’s wishes continued to drink beer from the boycotted hotel after work that day, they would no longer work with him, and would idle the mill until he had been removed. Disregarding {his threat, the worker had his usual drink, and, as a result, the man did not report for work today. This step, it is believed, is a personal one and not one authorised or directed by the union. No Power of Dismissal Some work was done at the mill today, logs that had been cut earlier in the week being sawn, but these stocks are low and work will cease shortly if the bushmen do not resume. It was stated in Greymouth today by members of the -West Coast Sawmillers’ Association that the manager of McGrath’s mill had no power to dismiss the worker. No similar trouble had been reported from other mills in the district.

The manager of the mill, Mr J. McGrath, stated this afternoon that the men had given him no notice of their move and he was unable to see what action he could now take. The men had not resigned, he said, and though he had reported the matter to the Westland Timber Workers’ Union he had been unable to receive any satisfaction.

Mr Pratt was so certain of the correctness of his facts ‘that beer could be economically sold at 6d per lOoz glass,’ then he had no fear of losing his £lOO. He has tho audacity to suggest that the audience should be the judges, evidently in the hope that I shall fall into the trap so well suggested. Just imagine leaving myself open to a ‘packed’ meeting whereby the issue would have been • decided even before the meeting started,” he stated.

No “Shouting” at Westport

Though Buller hotelkeepers have decided to retain the 6d charge for beer, the ( practice of “shouting” has been abolished, and this means the passing of one of the traditional customs of the West Coast'. It is reported that the decision to retain the 6d charge was adopted by the narrow margin of two votes—ls votes to 13.

The possibility of a further meeting of the Hotel Workers’ Union to discuss the beer dispute (the earlier meeting passed a resolution opposing the boycott) was discussed after last week’s meeting, but the secretary (Mr S. Gladstone) has informed the Evening Star that no further action will be taken by the union. Consequently, over 400 workers on the West Coast have received the official sanction of the union to drink where they wish.