WATERSIDERS' DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18298, 15 January 1923, Page 8

WATERSIDERS' DISPUTE.

.:■;,■/;.-//, '.■;■;■ ———..:. .../"'♦ ' -.::'; ..;-,/;-:,--;'//.:■; : /; ATTITUDE TO NEW AWARD/ WAGES AND (COST OF LIVING. .-... An address on the recent award of the Arbitration Court / in ■'■■;• the waterside workers', dispute- was given in the Strand Theatre last evening, by Mr. James Roberts, secretary to the. Alliance,, of Labour. ;an'd> the, -■ Waterside •/Workers'' j ,Federation._ Mr, L. Glover, president' of ! the federation, .occupied the chair/ ■" j Some time ago, said Mr. Robert:!, - the, waterside .workers were told 1 that if -they.; would be good arid gentle/enough to go before; the Arbitration Court' the general -j public would, '.in the event of justice not being: given,/-see -that it was given. He I , now wished to ask-the general: public if the Court.- had! . given justice/ ;to -the .waterside workers. The waterside worker i placed ' his . services, at the disposal "of, the i shipowners for 78 hours a week, and was ! employed on an average for 28 to 30. hours ,a ! week. . The: Court took the lowest-paid, hourly port, .Wellington/ dragged the others down/to, it, and riien made a reductioh of -2d an hour; on /ihe ; 1921 rates. v The Judge said 'that ,' was merely ■ removing anomalies. : ; liie Court considered a man, his wife, and two. chil- ■' dren could live on. £3' ,16s -Id a week, and.' gave-'the following* figures: Rent, 15s 3'dV' food, 25s lOfl clothing,, 10s 3d ■'}-. fuel,and light, '3s lOd; miscellaneous/ : ;20s ; 6d. ■Mr. RobertfifcaCUd that- in Wellington, .at. any .rate;- no house /to/live :, in could; :be secured at, a- 10wer..... rental •■ 'than 30s a; week, arid ; in.,rega rd: to the, allowance for ; food, which worked out. at about 6s «'6<Jfor each person, the' Government put the | cost of feeding prisoners in the.;gaols; at 7s' each. . v . Asked what the .Alliance ,of Labour was going to do/ about the /seamen's; trouble. Mr. /Roberts : said V that; was a i question the •■ alliance" \srould/'consider. 1 when .the matter was .referred.; to; v it/; Neither the " alliance; nor ' -;. transport j workers \vould see one, section of wor.kei-s;j "strangled" 'by. the shipowners. ; /"/ , _ 'i