LABOUR MATTERS

New Zealand Mail, Issue 1847, 31 July 1907, Page 47

LABOUR MATTERS

CONCILIATION AND ARBITRATION. INSPECTION OF GEAR. SOME IMPORTANT QUESTIONS. The Minister of Marine, Hon. J. A. Millar, on Thursday received a large deputation representing the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation. The deputation was introduced by Mr Fisher, M.H.R., Messrs Pooie (Auckland), Arnold (Dunedin), Laurenson (Lyttelton), and Colvin (.Builorj, M.H.R.’s, attended. Mi- D. McLardn said they represented a body of men numbering close on4OUO, employed on the wharves of tne colony. Tho delegates had concluded their 'conference in Wellington - at 5 o clock that evening, and they desired at the eailiest opportunity to place the resolutions passed by the conference before the Minister. These resolutions included a recommendation to the- Government to pass'legislation limiting tne size ol coal baskets and. sacks used lor the carnage of grain; ’ tlie . appointment or Government officers, who shall report .all cases 6f accident on the wharves; the pa>ihont of full medical fees in case of accident-; provision for proper waiting and retiring l ooms, with baths, for men working on tne wharves; remission ot tlie duty on hour and potatoes; a recommendation lor a Fair Rent Bill; representation of the wharf workers on the Harbour Boards; amendments of the Arbitration Act, >o make, tho Railway Department a party to awards in respect to wharf labourers; scacui-oiy Saturday half-holiday;; exclusion of Asiatics; compulsion to Harbour Boards to supply tlie necessary requisites for first aid on the wnarves; the nationalisation of the food supplies; and the compulsorv insurance oi labourers. Messrs Hubbard (Dunedin), Jackson (Grevmoiith), Barnes (Lyttelton), Voice (Lyttelton), and Way (Auckland) spoke in support of the resolutions. The latter, referring to the question of compensation for accidents, urged the Government to institute a system in each centre by which any man or woman could consult a Government lawyer, and so do away with the present heavy charges. Mr McLaren, dealing with suggested amendments of the Arbitration Act, said the waterside workers desired to urge the policy of conciliation. In their judgment there had been a conspiracy for some years on the part of the capitalist class to belittle conciliation, and to make it as ineffective as possible. They considered that the safeguard of the existence of the Act was the element of conciliation. With respect to the proposed Wages- Board, the union had decided to withhold any judgment until they were supplied with copies of the Bill, "though they viewed with suspicion any jrroposal based on what existed in the most conservative of the colonies —V ictoria. THE MINISTER IN REPLY. The Hon. Mr Millar said he was not aware until it had been mentioned by the deputation that legislation existed in New South Wales regulating the size of coal baskets. He had had a “go’’ at this class of work himself, and had quite enough of it after four or five hours. He would endeavour to do the best lie could for them. So far as the sacks were concerned, he thought they might get it regulated by the Railway Department prohibiting a sack being more than a certain size, but a coal basket was a different matter, though it might be possible, when dealing with this subject, to dovetail the two. it could not be done at once, because orders had already gone Home for the season. He thought the maximum weight should be, 2001 b, and he would endeavour to see .that carried out. Regarding inspection of gear, two extra officers for the purpose of inspecting- and surveying ships had already been appointed. Instructions bad been issued to superintendents of mercantile marine to ascertain the number of accidents on the wharves, and- the year’s marine report would show all accidents since the instructions had; been issued. He would give instructions to see tbat gear used in coal handling was inspected every three months. This should be done for the protection of life, though, so far as Home ships were concerned, he had not got any control over them, otherwise he would be glad to 6tep in. As to casualty wards being placed on the wharves, this would be a matter tbat would have to be dealt with by the Hospital Boards, as the Government had no control over Harbour .Boards. He could, however, see a difficulty in malting such a provision, apply, for take the case of Wellington wharf. This was handy to the hospital, but in the case of Onehunga or Port Chalmers, if an accident took place on the wharves there, it was almost necessary to have a casualty ward.

Mr Laurenson: Such a clause could be inserted in the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board Bill. Mr Millar: I will bring it under the notice of my colleague, but I certainly think it the duty of every Harbour Board in the colony to afford facilities for rendering first aid. If there was no provision for that at the present time, an amendment of the Harbour Boards Act might be made so as to make this compulsory on the Boards. If, however, they were to provide special medical attendance for wharf labourers, then other workers had a right to the same consideration. Regarding rests and lavatories, so far as he knew all the Boards had more or less provision in that direction. Mr Poole: There's none in Auckland. Mr McLaren: Wellington is a disgrace. Hon. Mr Millar: In Wellington there are about one thousand men employed on the wharves, and it is absolutely impossible to provide bathing facilities for one thousand men after knocking off work at night, but what I it you want is reasonable accommodation for them to clean themselves after work. FLOUR AND POTATOES. In regard to the duty oh these commodities, this was a, matter ,of policy, and it

was i?s fc as well to tell them plainly that the Government policy was to protect as far as possible anything produced in this country. They had taken the duty off certain articles now, but where the consumer was going to get the benefit time' alone -would tell. They haq. taken Gd a gallon off kerosene, yet what differenrv) had it made. When they took 6d o:* *,-6a it was quoted at Is 6d, yet the lowest price now was Is 4d. If they took the duty off Hour, they would have Australian flour dumped down here, and our mills would be closed up. A voice: Why not nationalise them? Hon. Mr Millar : That is all right in theory, but when it comes to practical working it is a very different thing. To do all these things, you must borrow money.

A voice: A State bank -will do it. Hon. Mr Millar : Our land and income tax is the most forward movement in the taxation of wealth we have yet made. 1 go so far in-principle to admit that in some cases the theorie t 3 advanced are all right, though not within the range of practical politics. HARBOUR BOARDS. Since he lmd held office, they would agree that lie had done something to give labour representation on Harbour Boards. There was a difficulty in making Harbour Boards elective, for the simple reason that the Boards had been large borrowers in the markets of the world. The Bill this year would, probably only deal with two or three Harbour Boards that required further representation. A WHITE NEW ZEALAND. He thought the deputation would find that tlie conditions imposed with regard to an education test on Asiatics would be found sufficient to 'stop Chinese coming into this country. It was not going to be a test in Chinese, but a test in one or two European languages, and it would be a pretty highly-educated Chinese who would get in on that test, in addition to paying the' <£loo poll-tax. Tho Minister' promised to give full consideration to all the matters which the deputation had placed before him.