CLIMAX REACHED.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17474, 27 February 1925, Page 8

CLIMAX REACHED.

WORK HELD UP AT PORT.

EMPLOYERS’ ULTIMATUM TO THE MEN.

Many boats were idle at Lyttelton to-day. The watersiders yesterdav refused to load frozen meat on the l’ort Auckland unless paid fid per hour over the Arbitration award rates. This was followed by the refusal of the men to work overtime last night on the Wingatui. In consequence, the employers have decided not to employ fresh labour until a satisfactory settlement is arranged.

On the arrival-of the Port Auckland yesterday a call was made ior one gang to load 1500 carcases of frozen moat, hut the workers turned a deal ear. A further call wAs made at 11.25 with the same result, though three gangs had accepted employment previously to load wool, tallow and pelts. The workers did not make any demands in respect to the loading of /'■cneat, though it is understood that when the first call was made, there were sufficient men available who would have loaded meat if paid an extra 6d E»n hour. The meat was returned to - the freezing works. Further trouble occurred yesterday afternoon when the Union Company endeavoured to transfer some of the watersiders from the Wingatui and the Waikouaiti to the Corinna, in order that the Corinna might be dispatched to Wellington that evening. The men objected to the transfer and the vessel had to remain idle for the remainder of | the day. Cater on in the afternoon the men on the Wingatui refused to work over' time. The Maimoa was also idle last night owing to lack of railway trucks to re- | reive her cargo of railway iron. Messrs Kinsey and Company’s foreman made a fresh call for meat loading labour this morning, but there was no h response. At about 5.30. a further call ► was made with the same result. Under l instructions from Messrs Kinsey and Co., the foreman then proceeded to the Port Auckland to ask some of the [ watersiders who were engaged on the vessel loading wool and who are accusl tomed to load frozen meat, if they i would transfer, but they refused, f After every effort had been made to 1 obtain labour to load meat, no further ? call was made by the employers for lahour to work the lonic, Corinna, John and Opihi. At about 9 a.m. most of the waterf ciders not working were to be seen bav- . ing the waterfront and stand around f the Post Office to discuss the position. I Interviewed this morning, Mr J. - Flood (secretary of the Lyttelton Union) had little to say. Pressed for information, he stated that so far as lie could see there were only two meat workers present when Kinsey and Co. jnade a call this morning. He had not been officially ihformed that there was a lock-out by the employers, but he un- ; flerstood that was the real position. The men had not had a meeting that morn- » :ng to consider the position. r * Asked it there were many watersiders £ leaving the waterfront Mr Flood said: “ Give them better pay and you'll have more watersiders. Yes. I suppose there are perhaps 200 away out o£ the 500 on the books.” A representative of the employers stated that every effort had been made ■* to obtain labour to load the frozen meat on the Port Auckland without any results. Xo further call for labour had been made, so that vessels arriving would remain idle. Tlio Cygnet arrived this morning from Nelson via ports with fruit. In view of a likelihood of tli© vessel being held up the crew was given twentyfour hours’ notice. - Fresh arrivals in port this morning uere the Shaw Savill anil Albion Company liner, lonic, with London cargo for discharge; the U 100 100. agents Kin_ sey and Company. Ltd., with New York cargo for discharge; the Gyihi, to load for Westport; and the John to load for Wellington, Wanganui and New Plymouth.

Vessels in port- include the John, Opihi. Maori. Corinna. Kennedy. WinCatui, Ulooloo, Ripa (undergoing overhauling). Waikouaiti, Maimoa. Port Auckland and lonic. The Wingatui, Waikouaiti and Maimoa are being worked as labour was obtained for these vessels yesterday. The Port Auckland is loading wool, tallow and pelts. By mid-dav most of the watersiders unemployed had collected their pay and departed for their homes, so that the waterfront presented a deserted appearance. The ferrv steamer brought about 80 tons of fruit, which it is Understood will be discharged this afternoon. It is believed that the majority of the watersiders are not very sympathetic to the present tactics. Some are endeavouring to obtain employment elsewhere. Later on the in the afternoon the men on the Wingatui refused to work overtime. WHAT WILL HAPPEN? The incidents at Lyttelton yesterday have created a good deal of uneasiness in shipping and freezing circles in Christchurch. The opinion is generally held that the watersiders have adopted irritation tactics, and that measures will have to be taken to bring these : tactics tc an end. It is pointed out " that Canterbury i:; a serious loser by ; the hold-up of the meat cargoes. The space which should be filled here is being secured by North Island meat works. The Canterbury meat is being railed back to the works, anct naturally the extra railing and handling are doing it no good. There is plenty of storage room in the province, but the freezers would sooner ship than store, when the cargo space :s available. MEETING OF COMPANIES’ REPRESENTATIVES. The Christchurch representatives of the shipping companies concerned in the dispute held a long meeting this morning for the purpose of discussing the situation. Mr W. H. Price, Christchurch manager for the Union Company, stated when approached by a reporter that nothing would be available for publication until a report had been received of a meeting ol the Disputes Committee, which was being held at Lyttelton to-day. “The position at present,’’ Mr Price added. “ is that work is proceeding on some boats and pot on others. There is no lockout at Lyttelton."’ the disputes committee. The disputes committee sat from 10.30 a.m. to midday at. Lyttelton this morning. At the conclusion of the meeting a representative of the Star’’ was informed by a member of the committee that there was nothing to re-

port tor publication. Mr J. Flood, secretary of the Watersiders Association and a. member of the disputes com. mittee, stated that they had nothing to say. He could not say whether the question of a lock-out had been discussed. h is understood that no overtime will he worked on the Maimoa to-night, unless two hours overtime is paid for Thursday night, when the workers concerned were ordered back to work overtime to 8 n.m.. and without further notice were ordered to place the hatches on at 5 p.m.. this meaning that no shortage of trucks. overtime was required, owing to a It is also reported that no overtime will be worked on the Waikouaiti tonight. SATURDAY HA LF-HOLIDAY. •• I am satisfied with the present conditions.” stated a watersider this morn, ing, '* hut there is one we would like, and that is Saturday halfholiday. i understand they have it at Port Cha liners.” It is peculiar that while most of the individual watersiders appear to he satisfied with the present wages and conditions, when a group of watersiders are questioned, they invananly state that they are dissatisfied with many of the clauses of the Arbitration Award. MEAT LOAJMXG t'NPOPULAR. Respecting the loading of frozen meat, there scorns to be no doubt that the work is not favoured at any price, and there are few men available who will undertake the work. The names of a number of old crippled watersiders who are suffering from rheumatism, paralysis and other complaints through working in the frozen meat chambers were mentioned to a reporter. Those men, it wasstafced. arc in that condition owing to working meat and getting big money. “LOOKING FOR TROUBLE.” It is hard to follow the attitude of the men. Some say they are going to continue the pin-pricking tactics until they recive more money. On the other hand, a few openly state that their officers are “ mad.” and that they are “ looking for trouble.” The men want that meat and bread are going un in price at Lyttelton at the end of next week. AN INTERESTING OPINION. An interesting opinion was expressed bv one of the men to-day. He stated that the companies were not pleased with the small increase of one halfpenny granted by the Court because of the extra trouble they were put to in calculating the men’s wages. His ('pinion was that the companies would have been betetr pleased if an increase of oile penny or twopence was granted but that as the ( r urt had granted a halfpenny increase noly, they were not prepared to offer more than that. When the suggestion that the employers would have been better pleased i fan increase of more than a half-penny had been granted by the Court was referred to one of the companies’ representatives, ho stated emphatically that there was no truth in it whatever “The employers abide by the award whether it is for them or against them,” he explained. “ They recognise that tne Arbitration Court is an impartial tribunal and accept its findings without question.”