Bus Drivers Oppose Stop Reinstatement

Northern Advocate, 25 October 1947, Page 4

Bus Drivers Oppose Stop Reinstatement

(By Industrialist) “THE bus drivers of Whangarei are definitely opposed to the reinstatement of the bus stop in front of the Post Office.” This statement was made by the secretary of the Whangarei branch of the Drivers’ Union (Mr D. Galpin). Under the old scheme, vehicles were deliberately parking right up on the pedestrian crossing, and people walked into the roadway in front of buses pulling out from the stop, he said.

This made drivers pull up quickly, often tumbling passengers forward out of their seats, and causing standing travellers discomfdrt. This also resulted in the bus blocking the roadway and upsetting north and south bound traffic. There was no provision for trade vehicles to pull up to discharge their cargoes, without having to double park. Members of the union believed that all business premises, with back entrances, should be compelled to use them, thereby keeping a large num her of trade vehicles off that particular stretch of road. If the bus stop were reinstated the union was of the opinion that the pedestrian crossing should be shifted to the other side of Kendall Bros’ premises, and that there should be absolutely no parking in front of Coutts’ chemist shop. That, said Mr Galpin, would enable buses to pull out in a direct line going up Bank Street instead of swinging out into the middle of the road. The public should realise that buses were very heavy vehicles and could not be swung about in the same manner as cars.

Delegate

The president of the Whangarei branch of the Carpenters’ Union (Mr Rex Lang) is to attend the national conference of the Carpenters’ Union to be held in Wellington on November 19 and 20.

Compensation

The Whangarei branch of the Engineers’ Union is in full agreement with the Government’s proposal of introducing a bill into Parliament making the workers’ compensation insurance purely a state monopoly. The union is also in full agreement with the proposed increases in benefits.

Messages to this effect are to be sent to the member for Marsden (Mr A. J. Murdoch), the Minister of Industries and Commerce (Mr Nordmeyer) and to the head office of the union.

* * * Half - Houses

The scheme for the construction of concrete half-houses for the carpentry trade trainees under the jurisdiction of the Rehabilitation Department was unanimously supported at the last meeting of the Marsden LRC. It was decided to submit the plan to the Minister of Housing for consideration. The trades council decided to adopt similar lines at their meeting earlier in the month, when Mr C. J. Homer, who is the trade trainees instructor, discussed the question with members.

Protest

Members of the Whangarei branch of the Engineers’ Union voiced a protest at the remarks made by Mr Randolph Churchill, who recently visited New Zealand. Speakers felt that it was not helping industry and workers generally in having visitors coming here attacking any section of the community. * * * *

Camp

Members of the Whangarei Carpenter’s Union have entered with enthusiasm into the scheme of establishing a working men’s camp near Whangarei. They are now drawing up plans for the various buildings. Portland cement workers have pledged themselves to support the scheme financially, as well as by means of work.

At this month’s meeting of the Whangarei Trades Council, after Mr F. J. Tercel, had reported on the progress made last week-end in talks with a represehtative of the Lands Department, Mr C. J. Homer moved the following resolution: ‘‘That the proposals as outlined by the committee be endorsed and that the president and secretary contact the local Lands Department officer and make all final arrangements to procure the area for the camp on behalf of the council.” This was carried unanimously.

The secretary reported that there would be plenty of good water on the site, and that electricity is at present within a mile of where the camp will be set up. The council discussed the layout of the camp so that definite proposals could be placed before the Lands Department officer.

Organisation

To take part in discussions on union organisation with other branches of the union in the Auckland Province, the secretary of the Whangarei branch of the Engineer’s Union (Mr L. Robinson) accompanied by Mr J, Johns, visited Auckland recently. Mr F. Catt is to visit Whangarei next week to hold further talks on this and other problems.

Discussion

The Whangarei branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union spent the whole of this month’s meeting in discussion with the Auckland provincial organiser (Mr F. Fenton).

The 5/- increase in union membership fees; amalgamation of unions; increase in prices of household commodities and wearing apparel; compulsory union membership; 40-hour week and other subjects were discussed.

* * * * Car - Parking

The Marsden LRC decided at its meeting recently to draw the attention of the Minister of Transport to alleged breaches of traffic regulations occurring in Whangarei.

Elections

No candidates are to take the field on behalf of the Marsden Labour Representation Committee in the forthcoming local body elections.

Insufficient candidates is the reason for the withdrawal of the committee from the contest.

Several months ago the committee decided to support candidates wherever sufficient members were forthcoming.

All affiliations were invited to recommend nominations, but apathy on the part of unionists and branch members has reluctantly forced the committee to withdraw.

The Whangarei Trades Council decided some time ago not to take an active part, but the chairman suggested that there was no reason why members of the council should not support candidates who were standing in the workers’ interests.

Immigration

Some months ago the national executive of the Federation of Labour passed a resolution calling the attention of trades councils to the proposal of the National Immigration Advisory Council to set up local immigration welfare committees. It is recommended that local committees be established in the 26 principal centres where there are already district officers of the Labour Employment Department, and that the committees shall be fully autonomous. That Whangarei is one of the main centres to have a committee set up, was contained in a report received by the Whangarei Trades Council at this week’s meeting. It is recommended that the basic constitution of each committee with one representative from each organisation should be as follows:—Trades council, Returned Services Association, the principal local body, a representative from the local Department of Labour and Employment, a representative nominated by the Employers’ Federation and the Manufacturers’ Association jointly, a delegate of the local women’s organisations, representatives from churches. This committee would have the power to co-opt other individuals or representatives of other organisations where the committee thought desirable. Committees, besides sitting locally, would co-opt representatives in more isolated areas to carry out the functions of the committee as far as possible. The function of the committee would be to co-opt the services and coordinate the activities of all sections of the community interested in assisting and advising immigrants, with a view to their being satisfactorily settled in and absorbed into the community, whether such immigrants be under the Government scheme or arriving here on their own initiative with the intention of settling here permanently.

It was decided, after several delegates had spoken, to notify the Federation of Labour that the trades council would unanimously support the scheme and that the council’s official representative on this committee would be Mr F. Moore.