The Star. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1921. THE WATERFRONT TROUBLE.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16359, 23 February 1921, Page 6

The Star. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1921. THE WATERFRONT TROUBLE.

fho trouble on tho waterfront has not yet readied its maximum development, but there are not wanting signs that loss and distress are being inflicted on tho community. Ships are lying at anchor instead of being worked, and that state of affairs cannot continue for any length of time without evil consequences to a fairly wide circle of employers and workers- The Wellington drivers have received a week’s notice,

owing to the slackness of the carrying business, so that the ranks of the unemployed will bo considerably swelled next week. The cessation of work on the waterfront will speedily bring other unpleasant results, the effects of which will be widespread. When war of this sort is declared on the community the non-combatants have to suffer with the combatants; the public is the orange which has to be squeezed. The dispute, which ia in active operation at three of the main centres, possesses the characteristics of both a strike arid a lock-out. The watersiders have struck against overtime, and the employers have locked them out as far

as ordinary time is concerned. Tho fact that the same conditions do not exist at Lyttelton as at the other ports is due to tho circumstance that the truck shortage is particularly acute. The consequence is that the Lyttelton men cannot work even for the ordinary hours, while overtime is entirely out of the question. The watersiders would have a distinct grievance if they were prepared to handle all the trucks that could be' sent to Lj’ttelton. Unfortunately there is no such assurance forthcoming, and a plentiful supply of trucks would probably mean the complete introduction of the tactics adopted elsewhere. The V aterside Federation officials have not yet put. their defence before the public, but they cannot pre-

tend any longer that the collective action which has been taken is a purely individual affair. There is a suspicion in some quarters that the watersiders are being used to “pull the chestnuts out of the lire ” for another militant organisation. The coal miners have made their demands, which must shortly go to a conference, but in the meantime there will be large importations of coal from outside sources. The situation on the waterfront lends colour to the suggestion that the watersiders* action is not - altogether unconnected with the coal supplies and the miners’ claims. There is nothing in their own case to justify the drastic action which they have taken. The correspondent whose long letter we published yesterday claimed that the watersiders were fighting for an eight-hour day and a living wage. lie may be in the confidence of the Federation loaders, but the facts as given to the public do not support hi 3 assertions. r Phe watersiders have simply refused overtime in order to compel tho payment of a larger bonus than the emploj-ers offered, and they are perfectly willing to work ovei time if the bonus is increased. Our correspondent also complained that the bonus was not based on the figures supplied by the Government Statistician- There is one place where that basis is assured, and that is Lho Arbitration Court, which the watersiders refuse to have anything to do with. We hope that better counsels will soon prevail, and that the parties will get together and compose their differences. Mr Massey is now in Wellington, and he may be willing to play the part of an arbitrator once more.