THE WATERSIDE TROUBLE

Gisborne Times, Volume XLVIII, Issue 4474, 15 February 1917, Page 5

THE WATERSIDE TROUBLE

POSITION AT WELLINGTON. VICTORIA WORKED AT LAST. ~ HINT OF TROUBLE WITH MINERS. By Telegraph—Special Correspondent WELLINGTON. Feb. 14. / The watersiders consented to-day to work the Victoria, and so the temporary hold-up on the wharves has ended. To-dav the outlook was about as black as it could be for tne employers. After a conference with the union chiefs the previous day at Wellington, the union- officials said that if the Victoria were put up in the ordinary way the men would agree to work her. The Shipowners’ Committee decided to try this scheme. Hitherto the Victoria and other boats delayed had been put up first, and the condition was that if these ships were not manned no other vessels would he put up. This withholding of work was the only weapon the employers had to enforce compliance with the labor agreement, hut in view of the assurances given by the union leaders they decided to surrender this weapon and engaged labor for all ships promiscuously. Their plight looked really serious when the men still refused to work the Victoria. They could not put off the gangs already taken on without laying themselves' open to jrrosecution for a lock-out, an offence under the Act. carrying a penalty of £IOOO for every company. All they could have done would be to begin again with their former plan of refusing to engage labor unless the Y ictoria and other black-listed ships which might come here were worked. This would have meant further long delays and more disorganisation of steamer traffic. If the Victoria had been held up any longer the employers would probably have resorted to this again, but they would have been in a very much weakened position. However, the Napier men relented, and the A\cllington men agreed to move the v ictoria’s cargo, and this work was commenced to-day. . We may expect a period of. comparative calm until the Conciliation Council meets on Friday of next week. If it then appears that there is a "reat divergence between the highest rate that the owners will pay and the lowest that the union will accept, there may he a renewal of disturbed conditions. Ihe men s demand for 2s 2d per hour will not be Granted, nor will the union readily accept the employers offer of a renewal of the agreement for Is bd per hour. This difference of 6d per hour for waterside labor means an increased cost of £240.000 m the workin* of the New Zealand inward and outward cargo—an added burden on the people of a quarter of a million. The Granting of this demand mat ie considered out of the question. is a compromise between the ti o extremes likely to he east. ‘There is another very dangerous factor in this labor fig i ■ p ilinesdav, two davs before the Conciii ation Council meets, the S coal miners are to meet the watersiders m conference to consider a list of demands or very big concessions m fay a d conditions —concessions whwh owners cannot groivt . P extreme pressure. I his eispute pie the other dispute more difficult. .1 he mbiers and the wainsideis hunt to aether and the miners leaders V; 1 , 1 bfin Wellington in close touch with ' the watersiders for the week before the Conciliation Council meets.

SHIPPING arrangements. ARAHURA DUE THIS AFTERNOON. A change for the "bettor has occmred in the*steamer service to Gisborne in connection with the hold-np or shipping due to the watersideis dispute and there are prospects that the shortage of supplies in some lines locally will he relieved before the end of the week. . A Times reporter was informed yesterday morning by Mr Preston, manager of the Union Company, that arrangements were completed for the Arahura to make a trip from Auckland to Gisborne and hack to Auckland this week. Ihe vessel left Auckland and was due here to-mor-row afternoon. The launch has been fixed at- 7.30, and the vessel would return to Auckland either that evening or next morning. Mr Preston added that the overcarried cargo would oe discharged here at last, and possibly additional cargo would he carried as "Advice has been received locally that the produce steamer le Anau had left Timaru for Gisborne on luesday afternoon and should he due here ot the end of the week. Arrangements had been made W the Richardson Company whereby their steamer Tangaroa left Aapiei vesterday morning and arrived he e last nmlit, The vessel returns to Napier,” leaving Gisborne this morn-

111 Private advice has been received that the Monowai left Lyttelton foi vvi)h rte Khtek.g of .boat 000 tons of carom from an ocean liner m tie Inv and it is understood that some SplS of ooiutnocHtins «»»£ needed here "'ere loaded, into tlie " Lite? 1 advice concerning the Arahlira’s movements is that she left Auckland at 3.30 . yesterday agmnoon for Gisborne via Tokomaiu B and arrives here, this-aftcinooi • “ "-ill again leave Auckland on SaturX? aftenroor, for Gisborne tm.l continue on to Napier. Ths latex at Napier.

PENALTIES FOR STRIKESPROVISTC NS OFpAlt BITRATION A e indicated yesterday there i.s cpnhas Nation Act Discussing tins possiKlTlSPrbprSonSto La exAct, a 1 s }lim P ve sterday afternoon The bSsl ma» said under vears, or to cancel its legistratioi it 'TTiic would moan that dnj whatever arrangements legal aing they choose to mate •«»

the representatives of the local companies.. The Union would also not receive the protection of the agreement and would be incapable, during the period of suspension, or instituting proceedings under the agreement or of entering into any industrial agreement, or of making any application for the cancellation of its registration. The preference clause would also be done away with, this beino- the main factor which held unions together. It should be pointed out that- during the peiiod of suspension no new . industrial union industrial association of workeis shall be registered in the same mdustria district in tlie same industry. _ It will 'thus be seen that the Act gives -the court power for dealing drastically with unions or its members who. have been convicted of certain offences;