PUBLIC MEETING AT NAPIER.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4473, 14 February 1917, Page 5

PUBLIC MEETING AT NAPIER.

WATERSIDERS’ POINT OF VIEW. (By Telegraph—Special Correspondent.) NAPIER, Feb. 13. The Watersiders’ trouble is still in the same position and liners were worked at tlie port uninterruptedly to-day by free labor. Interviewed by e. reporter, Hon. W. D. S. MacDonald, Minister for Labor, who is at present in Napier, stated that he had not yet decided what he would do. He added that lie was making inquiries and would not be prepared to stand until well sized of the position. At a meeting of the Harbor Board to-day the Chairman (Mr Jnil) said it was the duty of the Board to endeavour to bring about a solution or the trouble which was seriously affecting the Board’s revenue. He had been in touch with the watersiders and the Minister for Industries. He had 1 suggested to the Minister for Labor that a promise for a conference to be held in Wellington would settle, the dispute. The Minister had replied that the Government intended to cake over control of affected ports. On Sunday last, he. the' Chairman, had wired to the Minister for Labor that the Harbor Board was prepared to act as controller of wharves if the necessary powers were given to the Board. He (the speaker) thought the Board was the proper authority to take over the control of the wharves and so bring about a settlement. It had been suggested to the. Hon Mr MacDonald that a conference of the contending parties should be held. After a confidential talk with the Minister, the chairman announced that the Minister for Industries was to hold a conference, which would be attended by four representatives of the Board.

A packed meeting convened by the watersiders, was held at the theatre to-day, when Mr Roberts (Secretary of the New Zealand Watersiders' Federation), delivered an address giving the watersiders’ side of tlie dispute. He said that since ISOS the men have never been satisfied with the Arbitration Court as at present constituted and until practical men who understood labor conditions were plac_ ed on the Board there never would be industrial peace. He contended that if the watersiders were given a month’s trial under Government control with a watersider acting as supervisor of stevedoring they would guarantee' double the amount of work as ‘under the present system, as there was the greatest amount of dissatisfaction with the present system of stevedoring. The following resolution was carried: —’ That this meetjno- of the citizens of Napier deplores the present industrial crisis and urges the Government to do its utmost +.o bring the parties together in conference as we believe it is the best method of amicably settling the presentlockout on the waterfront.”