WAGES FOR WORK ON WATERFRONT

Southland Times, Issue 23330, 14 October 1937, Page 4

WAGES FOR WORK ON WATERFRONT

CONDITIONS OF MEN DISCUSSED LABOUR MEMBER’S MAIDEN SPEECH (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, October 13. Waterside work in New Zealand was the principal point discussed by Mr A. Campbell (Lab., Chalmers) during the Budget debate in the House of Representatives today. It was Mr Campbell’s maiden speech in the House and he was warmly applauded at its Replying to remarks made earlier in the debate by Mr W. J. Polson (Nat., Stratford), Mr Campbell said some comparison had been drawn between the times required to load a vessel in Australia and New Zealand. Mr Polson had stated that the work was done more quickly in Australia, but it was necessary to remember that in Australia the men on the waterfront worked the round of the clock. He hoped never to see the day when that was done in New Zealand and he was speaking from a good many years’ experience on the waterfront. He would advise Mr Polson to look after his farm and not worry so much about waterside workers.

“It is true they are not all good boys on the waterfront,” Mr Campbell continued. “There are some bad boys, but the employers have themselves to thank for that, because they used to insist on an open door for the union. Every Tom, Dick and Harry could get in then. It is different now, because there is a greater degree of co-opera-tion between the companies and the waterside workers.” Members of the Opposition had criticized the wages of waterside workers on the grounds that they were too high, Mr Campbell said, but that argument was false. The men worked hard for what money they received. They worked long hours—often as many as 80 in a week—and they had to handle heavy goods. When an average was taken it could be seen that they were by no means overpaid.