At the Waterfront.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 21, 28 July 1911, Page 4

At the Waterfront.

By NAUTSLtJS.

Mr. Harry Voyce, Secretary N.Z.W.W' Federation has addressed a letter to al Unions in the Federation asking their opinion re the meeting place for conerence, and Wellington is favoured by the majority on account of its central position. The main question is " What have we to confer over ? " We haA'e talked sufficient. It's time Are did something. The conference will be held in August. Every Australian paper brings news of lack of workers. Yet here in New Zealand the wharves are flooded with surplus labour. Mr. Fred Reynolds, who has just returned from a trip of investigation into this much boosted promised land, states that the wharves of Australia are exactly in . the same position as N.Z. for surplus workers. The scarcity is in the skilled trades only Capt. Prosser, the gentleman who was injured at Auckland recently whilst superintending operations alongside the s.s. Matatua, was the same man who in giving evidence recently said, " That the sole cause of accident whilst working cargo Avas attributable to either the carelessness or incompetence of the men concerned." When a sling of cargo from the "Matatua" struck him after a twenty foot swing he must ha\-e modified his opinions slightly. Patea Waterside Union reports that they have had a difficulty in getting registered under " The Trades Union Act," the Rules being sent back three times for amendment.? Patea Union is sending a remit to th* Annual Conference asking for a hallo of the Waterside Unions on the question of joining the N.Z.F.L. Several other Unions are doing likewise. . It is understood amongst many that if the Federation decides to keep aloof, many of the single unions will se\ T er their connection with the Federation and join -as units. The rush for speed—a feature of modern capitalism—has evolved a new winch valve, Avorked by a lever instead of a screw Avheel. A careless touch of tiiG lever* sends every available pound of steam into the cylinders, Whiz! goes a basket into space, out comes a lump of coil down on a worker's skull. Another victim to greed and speed. We must demand the reinstatement of the old screAV AVheel—our lives are more valuable to us than an extra ton of coai to the shipowner.