LABOUR WANTED.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXVII, Issue 17164, 10 May 1916, Page 10

LABOUR WANTED.

FOR WORK AT PORT.

POSITION ACUTE TO-DAY. There was a shortage of labour in Lyttelton yesterday and the position will be acute to-day, when there will bo no fewer than thirteen vessels at the wharves requiring labour. To-day will be a big day in Lyttelton shipping, one of the biggest for a very long time, and the scarcity of labour is a matter that is seriously exercising the minds of agents. A glauco at the list of steamers that among others will he in port to-day will give an idea of tho labour that will be required. The list is as follows: Tura-kino. 8349 tons; Carpentaria, 5804 tons; Waimate, 5610 tons; Toromeo, 4149 tons; Kyoto Marn, 2645 tons; Kurow, 2345 tons; Manuka, 4505 tons; Mararoa, 2598 tons; Koromiko, 2479 tons; AVaipori, 1919 tonsj Tarawera, 2003 tons; Corinna, 1271 tons; and Kotavo, 141 tons It is anticipated that to-day there will he room for at least 300 additions, men, and it was considered that if the position were known in labouring and unemployed circles in Christchurch itwould result in considerable relief. The Union Steam Ship Company alone will require 300 men. The facts were placed beforo Air E. J. Howard, secretary of tho General Labourers’ Union. Mr Howard said that his union did not deal usually with that class of work, but- principally with builders’ labourers, and ho had all his men placed at present.- However, he had had a look through • town that morning and there were a considerable number of men walking about the streets, particularly country labourers. From what he knew of the harvest these men would bo mostly unemployed, and, he thought-, glad of the opportunity to get the work at the port. The announcement through tho newspapers that there was plenty of woik 'offering at Lyttelton would no doubt induce a largo number of men to go down, and he would also do his bestto inform the men of the position.