SERIOUS LABOUR CRISIS

Star (Christchurch), Issue 12784, 30 October 1919, Page 3

SERIOUS LABOUR CRISIS

SHIPPING HELD UP. RAILWAY SERVICES MAY BE CURTAILED. SERVICES MAY BE CURTAILED. [Peb Press Association.] WELLIN G .1. ON, October 29. ; In addition to supplies from local sources, the Railway Department lias to depend on importations of coal from Newcastle to keep the service going, and in the event of the present trouble developing the Department 'will bo forced to consider. its position. iJtr M’Villy l , General Manager of Railways, stated to-day that the Department had just opened out on its timetable after the recent restrictions, and if the trouble regarding Newcastle coal continued it would be bound to .influence seriously the improvements which were contemplated in regard to the timetable. Possibly th» Department might be compelled to curtail the train services again. Mr M’Yilly declined "to make any _ statement regarding the position of the Department’s present stocks of coal. POSITION AT LYTTELTON. “ Can you throw any light on the question as to whether the watersiders of Lyttelton will adopt the same attitude as the Wellington watersiders in regard to the unloading of Newcastle coalc” was asked of Mr P. Shirley president of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union, by a “Star” reporter yesterday afternoon. 'L m ? re than I am able to say, Mr Shirley replied. “ This not being a union actiqn, but individual action, it is impossible for me to make a statement on the subject, or offer an opinion. I would not even sav that such action is in sympathy with the miners. In Wellington the men on the waterfront are divided into three sec-tions—-coal workers, cargo workers and the Harbour Board workers. The coal workers have refused to offer their services to discharge the colliers from Newcastle. In Lyttelton the men are not classified thus, but, of course, thnt does not alter the fact that the men may not work the next vessel due here. The reporter then asked; “ la it that watersiders are refusing to wmlithe colliers from Australia, as a lever to force the owners to unload the vessels under the new co-operative scheme for which a. ballot is now beincr taken at every port in New Zealand?” ‘The results of the Lyttelton balot, replied Mr Shirley, “ will not be knoim for at- Ics-st two or tluco dfijß. If the majority of the ports in 'Now Zealand vote in favour of the scheme, the matter will ho brought up at the annual conference in December, at Napier, where rules and means of running the new scheme will be arranged A printed form of the rules will then be issued to each watersider. to give them an opportunity to consider the rales. Later another ballot will be held to ascertain whether the rules are to be adopted. Therefore, I hardly think the co-operative scheme has anvthinoto do with the 1 trouble at ton.” Although Mr Shirley did not admit itv he hinted that it was more than likely that the. stoppage was out of sympathy with the miners. He further stated that a good deal of dissatisfaction existed owing to the coal question on the West Coast. The’ Government were well infonned of the matter, and also had knowledge of fill the correspondence. that had ' passed'. between employers and employees, and ultimately the Government would have to take action. When approached. on the subject, a local manager of a shipping company stated that the firm cxjiected the trouble to spread unless things came to a head at Wellington and were settled quickly. J he Koromiko, the next steamer due at Lyttelton from Newcastle, should nave arrived at Sydney yesterday. She should leave for Newcastle to-morrow c r i, T n ary *° ?a *'- f rom Newcastle tor Lyttelton on Monday or Tuesday a rUT.mK Lyttelton on Tuesday week. With the exception of the ferry steamer, there are no vessels- due from Wellington within the next day or two so that it.is. not likely that'work on the Lyttelton waterfront will be affected before at least the end of this week.