LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

New Zealand Times, Volume LI, Issue 9107, 2 October 1890, Page 2

LYTTELTON HARBOUR BOARD.

{PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.) -Christchurch, October 1,

At the Lyttelton Harbour Hoard to day the warehouseman’s report stated that he bad, since bis last report, put out some 15,000 bogs of grain, principally by non* Union labour, which was, he regretted to say, both expensive and unsatisfactory. The best men be could obtain were unfitted for the work of grain-carrying, and they were daily shifted about by the Secretary of the Labour Bureau, and thus fresh men were put to work daily. They were very willing, but it would take almost a season for them to get used to the work. Since September 10th 1386 tons of grain, etc., bad been put out, and the cost was as near as possible Is l£d per too. The same work could be done by ordinary casual bands at a coat not exceeding 7d per ton. The cost was considerably increased owing to having to pay men a full day’s pay, though in some cases they only did four or six hours work. C. W. Turner said that he wondered that men could be found to carry these bags of grain at all ; they weighed from 240 to 2501b5. He would prefer to see' the American system of the cental adopted, and hoped that one result of the present labour agitation would be to get this evil remedied. Mr Graham said the Chamber of Commerce had been, for years, trying to get the size of the bags lessened, but the farmers were opposed to this, because they got ten sacks to the ton by the present system, and thus obtained a gain in railway carriage. The report was adopted. The Board then cousidered the cool storage plans, which were estimated to cost £7OOO. Mr P. Cunningham said tha*, as we would have a steamer leading weekly, be did not think that a cool chamber would be used at all. He did not think the et» penditure would bo justified, and moved “ That consideration of the matter be postponed till next meeting.” The motion was adopted. . ■