DOCKERS' CLAIMS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10509, 10 February 1920, Page 5

DOCKERS' CLAIMS

A VIGOROUS ADVOCATE PLEA EASED ON SHIPPING PROFITS. TRAGEDY OF THE POOR.

8? Jfetegraph— Press Association—CopyrleM Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. (Received February 9, 9.20 p.m.) LONDON, February 6. Mr Ernest Berin, the dockers' organiser, and known as the "Dockers* King's Counsel," was applauded at the termination of a three days' speech at the transrjort workers' inquiry. Lord Shaw, in commanding silence, »aid he was not surprised ait. that demonstration.

Mr Bevin denounced the inhumanity 2i the casual labour system, and sub» mittod a model budget with a minimum <»f 120 s weekly for <, family of five. Tho employers estimated that the men's demand of 16s per jlay would. UK ten millions yoarly. Mr Bevin argued that l hoy were able to pay. He declared that the shipping profits for the first ■thirty-one months of the war .•vmount/ed to 350 millions. The New York docker was 100 per ceot. better off. He declared it was the duty of all shipping companies to ensure the dockers a minimum of subsistence based on £v« days' pay weekly. Mr Bevin spoke of the tragedy th« mere breaking of a 'tea cup caused a poor family, and concluded (that if the claim, was refused the only alternative was to- close the schools and reduce laibour fodder to an animal basis. Society ought not to create aspirations for the "beautiful, while denying toe wherewithal to satisfy them. It would" he better to keep fie workers in dark ignorance. A Court of Inquiry was set up <f» investigate the dockers' claim for 16s per day as the minimum wage. The court consists of three employers, three workers, and an independent ohairman. Tha inquiry affect* 150,000 men.