Wharf Laborers' Dispute.

Oamaru Mail, Volume XXXV, Issue 9794, 20 March 1908, Page 1

Wharf Laborers' Dispute.

(Per Press Association.) Wellington, March 19 The Arbitration Court at to-day's sitting proceeded with the hearing of the wharf laborers' dispute. The Lilian Steamship Company, the Wellington Harbor Board, and the local and foreigngoing shipowners were severally represented. The demands of the Union included Saturday half-holiday for all classes of labor'or overtime pay in lieu thereof, an increase of threepence for working cement, lime, manure and shale, an increase of twopence for handling coal on shovel -and top work, an increase of sixpence for handling frozen produce in freezing chambers, proper accommodation and'fares for out ports, payment from time of leaving place of engagement till returning for men working in the stream. The demand for holidays is practically the same as the existing award, except for asking for a special day fqr a picnic Double overtime on Sunday, Christmas Day, Good Friday, and the Union picpie day. Double tinie is asked for working meal hours. The Union -also asked for prompter payment of wages, and that (he weight stipulation should apply to men in The hold as well as on the wharves. Other new features were that, the men should lie paid overtime for the time spent •■standing bv" under orders: that payment should be from the time of engagement until discharged : in handling beef not less than six men should bo employed on a side, mid that the award should apply to permanent hands a.s well as to casua'ls. The representative of the employers handed in a statement showing that they were willing tn practically adhere to the present award. The case for the Union was not concluded when the Court rose. The bakers' dispute will probablv be takfln to-morrow afternoon. During the hearing of the wharf laborers'" dispute in the Arbitration Court; to-day, Mr Justice Sim asked regarding the demand of the XTnion for preference to Unionists, whether the Unici. m case the Court acceded to its request, would anree to make itself responsible for strikes. Mr M'Laren (secretary of the Union) said he should say so. The Union had always been against strikes; it was the nonunionists who created trouble. Mr S. Brown (employers' representative) asked whether the Union would agree to make the union responsible through its funds for any strike. Mr M'Laren said that this was a large, order. The employers discriminated against its men, and he complained that in this case the employers had ileliberatelv passed over the Conciliation Board. His Union was always for preserving order.