THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE

Southland Times, Issue 17938, 1 February 1917, Page 5

THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE

NO SOLUTION YET REACHED.

(Per United Press Association.)'

WELLINGTON, January 31,

No solution of the trouble along the water front has yet been reached. This morning the wharf workers did not turn up until 8 o'clock, instead of a quarter to 8, the usual time, and the labour foreman refused to engage them. The result is that about a thousand men are hanging about the wharves and sitting on the stringers with no work to do. The only gangs working are those that were working yesterday. It is understood that the freezing companies are not sending any further meat to port for shipment at present. It is not Intended to engage any labour to-day.

FURTHER DEVELOPMENTS.

WELLINGTON, January 31

There was another unexpected development on the waterfront this morning. Most of the wharf workers did not turn up for engagement until about 8 o’clock instead of ttie usual time, 7.45 a.m., with the result that the labour foreman did not engage them. The outcome was that only gangs employed yesterday were working, while between 600 and 700 men were waiting about the wharves, with nothing to do. The unloading of an American ship was proceeded with by gangs which worked her yesterday, and restricted loading or discharging operations were continued on some other vessels. The loading of frozen carcases sent down by the Longbum Freezing Co. was completed about midday. It was anticipated that tlie task would have been finished about 3 o’clock yesterday afternoon, as „the trucks arrived at 8 a.m. yesterday; but the methods adopted were not favourable to work being expeditiously carried out. Fortunately the meat was in the company’s own trucks which are specially insulated, consequently it was in excellent condition in spite of the unexpected delay. It is understood that.the freezing companies, in view of the uncertainty that exists, are not sending any further frozen meat to the port for shipment at present. The vessel receiving the meat is still some 30,000 freight carcases short. There was a very large muster of men this afternoon at the 1 o’clock hour for the afternoon call, but only a very small handful —about ten or a dozen —were taken on to do urgent coaling work. After that most of the men left wharves. It is understood that a list containing sixty-two names of men who were concerned in the trouble with regard to the working of two home liners on Monday have been prepared, with a view to not. engaging these men in future. Tlie Union Company’s coastal and intercolonial boats are not working cargo, but other coasters are not affected by the trouble. The impression prevails in some quarters that, as the waterside workers' agreement was made for the period from 16th March to 31st December, 1916, it is not now in operation. A reporter made enquiries at the Labour Department, was referred to section IJS, subsection 4, of the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, which states; ’’Notwithstanding the expiry of the term of an industrial agreement, it shall continue in force until superseded by another industrial agreement, or by an award of the Court, except where, pursuant to the provisions of sections 21 and 22 hereof, registration of an Industrial Union of Workers hound by such agreement has been cancelled. The sections provide that cancellation cannot be given effect to while Conciliation Council or Arbitration Court proceedings are in progress until a decision has boon given, and that cancellation does not relieve a union or any member from obligation of any industrial agreement or award, or order of the Court.