WELLINGION'S COAL CAISIS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVII, Issue 15301, 24 August 1920, Page 5

WELLINGION'S COAL CAISIS.

SERIOUS SITUATION.

WIDESPREAD EFFECT OF WATER . SIDE -HOLD-UP.

LIGHTING, TRAMWAY AND INDUSTRIES AFFECTED. WELLINGTON, this day. The total cessation of the Wellington tramway and lighting services is' threatenetl owing to waterfront troublo. Thc trams stopped last. night. at 6.3o..becauso of tho coal shortage, while thc picture houses had no power to carry on performances, and citizens feared the eclipse of their domestic lights some, time during tho evening. Meanwhile at the wharf

there, is an ample supply of coal. The f Komata, with 2200 tons of coal, the Kini, with 1200 tons of coal, and the Rona T (from Newcastle), 1100 tons of coal. The j origin of the trouble is* a dispute over , the special rate for handling super- " m phosphates from the Japanese steamer Meikai Maru. The watersiders failing *. to secure a continuation of 3s and 5s an j hour then declined to. proceed to > work , on Friday morning v and" the shipowners decided not to engage further labor on \ any shipping until the Meikai Maru -is: worked. The Watersiders' Union de-j ? dares its willingness to supply men for I tho coal boats, but while, the deadlock ( exists about superphosphates'. Wellington r can run out of coal.— Herald Special. , WELLINGTON, last night.' ■ In eonection with the ooal "hold up" the : following authoritative statement has , been issued on behalf of the employers: — "The secretary of " the union (Mr 1 Bruce) , misinformed the men regarding the rate they were to get for working the Japanese ship. Mr Bruce . said that if he * told the men this they would stop work. At a meeting of the local disputes committee tho employers, recognising that Mr Bruce had made an error, decided to pay the men 3s for ordinary time and 4-s over-, time till 10 p.m. so as not to break faith with the workers, who when engaged thought they were io g«fc 3s nnd -4s per hour. The decision of the employers was approved by the whole committee. It was made on the distinct understanding that the men worked at the award rate of 2s 5d on the next and on subsequent days. The employers stand on the fact that Japanese phosphate is specified m the award at 2s Sd an hour, that this cargo is m excellent condition, double bagged,and not at all dusty. In the circumstances they cannot see why they should pay 3s and 4s -an hour. However, should the cargo prove dusty towards the bottom the employers are quite willing to refer the matter to ■ the local disputes committee and abide by its decision. Tho employers are firmly resolved not to engage any more labor* on the waterfront till the men work the phosphate boat at the award, rate.' An -exception to thc rule will, however, be made m thc case of the ferry boats connecting tho two islands. Labor will be engaged for the Patecna, Wahine, Maori, Kaitoa and Nikau whenever they arc m port. People come to Wellington from all parts of the. country tp travel by the ferry boats, and if the boats were to be held up many would find it impossible to obtain accommodation m the city and would suffer hardship m consequence." < • If the trouble continues and the electric light fails it is possible that the. night sittings of Parliament will '* havo to be abandoned meantime.— Press Assn. . WELLINGTON, this day. , Mr Newton, Conciliation' Commissioner,; has got into touch with the shipowners, with a view to a settlement of tlie waterside trouble, and will ■ shortly interview the Waterside Union. Meanwhile gas -and electricity have been shut off, but a limited tram sorvice is possible m the late afternoon. — Herald Special. •• WELLINGTON, this afternoon. The coal crisis continues. Tlie position could hardly be more serious. The cutting off of the gas and electric supplies' has paralysed numerous industries. Operatives who went to work this morning" were told that the factories- could not run, as no power was available, and many hundreds of men and women and young people are consequently unemployed today, and there is no knowing when they wiil bo called back to work. The pump- ; ing plants connected with the supply of water to 'the high lovels will bo run, until '" the present stook of coal is exhausted. There aro only 10 tons left. The City Council's Twill's street, depot has- sufficient coal i for tho next seven days, and if the supply 1 is not replenished -the, authorities will' be faced with the problem of how to provide , steam and hot water for cleaning pur- ,! poses. • .«;,.' " ' A special meeting of the City t CouncU was held to-day to consider the situation,' but nb decison was come to. Tho meeting adjourned until four this afternoon m tho hope that :thero will bo a favorable development. The Mayor said that the holding up of. tho coal supply could not bo justified. Thc proper courso would havo been to have gone on with tho work and have submit-, ted the matter to '-the disputes committee There was no °° a l for the trams- and very ..< lit tive for the electric light. -Every, effort would bo .made •to keep up tho; i, suppy of light for the hospital. The. coal company states that it will < be quite unable to resume the • supply* untl coal comes to hand. *• The executive of the Waterside Work- : ers' Union mot .to-day and decided upon a course of action., which : will bo put be- , fore a meeting 'pf' the' Union to-morrow morning. . ! ' Nearly all tho steamers m port are idle. '■■ The only ones being worked arc those which commenced - dischargo last itveek — Press Assn. , ..'■....■ , ;.