Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1939 SOLVING A WATERFRONT PROBLEM

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXII, 27 February 1939, Page 6

Nelson Evening Mail MONDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1939 SOLVING A WATERFRONT PROBLEM

NEXT week will be held a national conference between shipowners and representatives of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Unioh to consider all phases of waterfront work. For some time past New Zealand has held the reputation of being probably the most costly place in the world for the handling of cargo, and the complaint applies chiefly to the main ports. To what extent this Unnecessarily high cost affects the cost of living it is impossible to estimate, but there is no doubt it is borne by the community as a whole. Our overseas trade is Worth £123,000,000 annually and ihefficient handling of either inward or outward cargo must add to the cost ultimately carried by the public. Recently the representative of an important foreign shipping company—the North German Lloyd —who was on a visit to New Zealand, declared that of all the ports visited by his company’s fleet* those of New Zealand proved most expensive because of the high costs, principally in loading and discharging. The efficiency in this direction was lower than anywhere else and the position was growing worse. This critic predicted that an increase in freights on New Zealand cargoes would become necessary. This, however, is only the latest of many complaints. It is not suggested in any quarter that the waterside worker is Underpaid, but there has been a suggestion that part of the high cost is traceable to methods of stevedoring both here and abroad. Whatever the cause, the high cost remains. Appeals have been made in vain for the setting up of a Royal Commission to enquire into the matter and make recommendations for methods of improvement, but it is doubtful whether such a commission would achieve results as satisfactory as it may be hoped will be derived from a conference of the parties at which the Minister of Labour intends to be present—at least during the initial stages.

The Government’s new Minister of Labour, the Hon. P. Webb, is recognised as having a broader outlook than was shown by his predecessor in office. Mr Webb has demonstrated his sincere desire in the interests of the country to bring about better relations between employer and employees, and is seeking to establish coordination and co-operation for the commonweal. Mr Webb has expressed a determination that efficiency must take the place of “inefficiency which unfortunately prevails at many New Zealand ports.” For this reason he has called the conference in preference to setting up a Commission of Inquiry. If the conference is unsuccessful, the Government is determined to take what additional steps it considers necessary. Such steps, of course,

may include State control of waterside work, but the Minister has given no direct hint of this. Mr Webb made his major announcement on the subject in an address to Auckland watersiders when he referred to, the enormous amount of criticism being levelled against wharf Workers. Mentioning at a later stage that officials of waterside organisations had attributed much of the cost to methods of stevedoring he said that instances had been cited where hundreds of tons of cargo consigned to Wellington had been loaded on top of the ship’s holds, had had to be removed in order to unload the Auckland cargo and then put back in the ship. Nevertheless he made it clear that he had also heard complaint against the workers. Speaking to the press after the meeting mentioned he said: “I explained that anyone loafing on any job could count on 100 per cent, opposition from the Government, and if a few men imagined they could upset the whole working of the waterfront or any other industry a rude awakening was in store for them. Many instances of lack of discipline have been brought under my notice, and I am convinced that nothing short of a searching inquiry will meet the case. The present dissatisfaction must stop,” he concluded. 1 he public will welcome the Minister’s.endeavour to end a position which one critic has described as “little short of tragic.” Frequent hold-ups on the waterfront are costly enough to all concerned, but the cost of persistent inefficiency—whatever the cause—is even greater. Mr Webb’s effort to find a remedy will be watched with widespread sympathetic interest. His outspoken and frank approach to a solution of the problem is appreciated.