WATERSIDEES’ DISPUTE

Southland Times, Issue 19478, 30 March 1922, Page 5

WATERSIDEES’ DISPUTE

BITTER EXCHANGES IN COURT. (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON, March 29. During the hearing of the waterside case in the Arbitration Court Mr Bruce, for the Union, asked Captain Walton, wharf superintendent for the Union Co : You have said I threatened to stick up a ship if you did not agree to our terms. When was that. Witness : You have said that so many times. Mr Bruce : Have you not told me you would stick the whole lot up ? Witness : Yes, I told you if you went on like you were doing the employers were prepared to stick up the whole lot. Pressed as to instances witness mentioned the Kaituna Calm and Kaitangata. The exchange between the parties at this stage became so acrimonious that the president of the Court intervened. Later a remark by Mr Smith that Union officials thought it too risky to go into the box brought Mr Roberts to his feet in vehement protest. He was not afraid to go into the box anywhere. He complained that the employers * representatives were trying to force the inference that Union officials were a section of desperadoes. The president of the Court remarked that he would have stopped Mr Smith if he thought the statement was meant lyThe taking of evidence was then continued. VARIOUS IRREGULARITIES CITED. WELLINGTON, March 29. Other evidence before the Arbitration Court to-day in connection with the waterside labour case was that travelling time between the suburbs and the wharves was not fairly used. The present system of labour caused a good deal of over-lapping. Stop-work meetings should be held one month in day time and the next at night in order to give the employer a fair thing. As to the wet weather clause it was stated that the men knocked off on the slightest excuse as regards unfavourable weather. Regarding the supervision of men a good deal depended on how watersiders were handled. If handled well they would work well. As to personal supervision Mr Roberts for the Federation maintained that where they got personal supervision no dif Acuities arose. The sitting adjourned till to-morrow.