BACK TO NORMAL

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19893, 22 March 1939, Page 11

BACK TO NORMAL

WATERSIDERS RESUME MINISTERS' WARNING USE OF PULL POWERS PREVENTING HOLD-UPS (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Normal working was resumed on the Wellington waterfront shortly after 1 p.m. in consequence of a decision, which was almost unanimous, reached at yesterday morning's special stop-work meeting. The following official statement was made after the meeting by the Miniser of Labour, the lion. P. C. Webb, and the Minister of Marine, the Hon. P. Fraser: — At a crowded meeting of waterside workers held in the Tivoli Theatre this morning, the Minister of Labour and the Minister of Marine addressed the men and gave an outline of the Government's policy concerning any form of interference with work on the waterfront that would prove detrimental to loading and discharging cargoes. They emphasised that the Government had supported and encouraged all forms of genuine unionism and had assisted the workers generally to obtain the highest standard of living that the industries could pay. The Government, through the Labour Department, assisted in the enforcements of those agreements, but insisted that once an agreement was come to any dispute or disagreement arising out of the agreement should be referred through constitutional channels, to be there dealt with by the disputes committees, local and national. The case for the workers should be handled by their accredited representatives, and irregular action should not be tolerated. They pointed out that the very industrial life of the community and the maintenance of the high standard of living were dedependent upon the efficient work, not only on the waterfront, but throughout New Zealand, and appealed to the men to appreciate that point of view. Reasonable Day's Work They pointed out that the Government would not protect "men who would not do a reasonable day's work for the money received, and they were most emphatic that if the men declined to work they could not expect and would not get the Government's backing. It was agreed by the workers themselves that a small minority of their members was not playing the game. The Ministers appealed to those members to play the game and do a fair day's work. Failing that, they could not expect to enjoy the privileges of a closed union.and equalisation of hours. The Ministers also pointed out the steps the Government would be compelled to lake if the nation's economic life continued to be threatened by "go-slow" or other detrimental tactics. j^^.Only One Government The Ministers made it quite Clear that be only one Government; that the Government was fully conscious of its responsibility to the people of this country and would not hesitate to use its full powers in the protection of the interests of the country, including those of genuine trade unionism which should and would cooperate with the Government iri its work of social advancement.

Both the Ministers were gratified with the excellent spirit displayed by the great majority of the men, and they' left the meeting confident that more efficient work and closer cooperation would prevail. They stated they expected the same co-operation from the shipowners. ' The Government was anxious to facilitate the economic loading and discharging of vessels, and asked the men for thenfullest co-operation in the discharge of that work.

A resolution to resume normal working was carried almost unanimously. It was clear that the predominant feeling was anxiety to cooperate with the Government in the efficient working of the port and the dispatch of commodities for the overseas market.