LABOUR IN PORT.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 10217, 11 December 1893, Page 6

LABOUR IN PORT.

TO TH3 EDITOK. Sib, —The question Kgiin p.nres now that the political excitement is over—the old question, where the labourers’ bread :uui butter ia Vo come from. True that there ia no trade here in comparison, to the past; that makes things still worse. The ocean steamers do the work in a day

or two which tho soiling ships took weeks ; to complete, and there are three hundred wharf labourers competing for bread where a hundred and twenty would be amply ; sufficient, except on rare occasions. The 1 consequence is that tbs weakest have to go to tha wall, and the great majority are no bettor off than the same class of men in the Old Country, though the wages are two-thirds higher. Now we have our labour bureau, where capital and labour join hands, but the outcome of this, as at present, merely intensifies the struggle amongst us for a mere existence. So far from the work being dealt out without fear or favour to those that are I able and willing tp do it, the by-laws ; made by them ansi the men are continually ; ignored, and favouritism is rampant, go ! that a few get large wages at the expense jof the many. Well, what can you expect | when the employers, in direct contravention | to the terms with which they joined with ’ the men in Association also belong—j indeed are leading men in the Employers’ j Union (on their Committee), while the i men are debarred by Clause 5 ia our rules I from belonging to any other Union. Wo !do not blame the gentlemen aforesaid. It is a mere matter or business with, them, but the men are entirely at their mercy. If the Harbour Board could be induced to take over the casuol work on the wharves aa at Wellington and other places in tho Colony, tho condition of the men would be conoidorably modified. Able men that | thoroughly understand the work on the | wharves, men that have lived here for | years, and young men that have married | hare and have young families dependent i cu them, that tiro reduced almost to destij tution under the present system, may pick j up a few shillings a week eo as to either j live or quit. Now, as to the railway perI forming wharf work, how dees it act? Why, they have nearly as many constant hands j es when they used to employ casual labour | only. When no steamers are ip, they have to stow them away, aud when there is a I rush which employs them all, sooner than j give the old hands a chance, they send boy j porters off the platform, in receipt cf 4s ] a day, into the trucks, alongside vessels ; taking in cargo. This needs no comment, i Tha men of Lyttelton have been punished I long enough. They, as a body, are right i loyal to Liberalism, as the election proved. They do not ask for charity; though so poor, they help one another. Many cases of utter distress have been helped through by their united efforts, which are n credit to them as a body of men, though never made public.—l am, &c., ANOTHER WHARF LABOURER.