MEN REFUSE TO WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LX, Issue 16892, 7 February 1917, Page 4

MEN REFUSE TO WORK

VOLUNTARY LABOUR ENGAGED

UiNJ.OADINa OPERATIONS ! PBOGIIEsbIiVU

There was considerable speculation a* to. whet-iier tne local wate:siUers would start work ;>esteidiy morning, but th© matter *as definitely>. solved at 8 a.m., when the men refused to make a start.

Just on the hour the wateisiders gathered in their waiting-room, and had. a discussion,, to file out-in a bbuv a-/ tiie usual hour for starting woik." Mr Lovegrove, w..0 engages th© labour ,on tho wateftront, prouced a note-book, and called.for labour, as s ttie custom.

A couple of the watersiders grinned and replied "iuve o'clock/' an allusion, to-the questipn of overtime, wincl* is in.dispute. ' . . ■ ,

Persuasion v;nder the 'circuinstantios' was hopaless, and Mr Lovegrove turned from the body of men and Appealed for volunteer labour —volunteer '-Jib, ine,S2nse of tb© word only, as the"remuneration was excellent. • Several men, who, evidently did /not usually seek the class of work, offered promptly tj give their services, and: we're just as promptly engaged. Meanwhile a start was being made to lift the hat=h tarpaulins of the sttamers alongside— the Breeza, Piitiki, and John, and the sued ■workers, who are not paiticifa.ing in the tioii'ble, got rea<iy.for t:;e rocept:on of cargo from t; c slings. Naturally'there'was'difficulty in getting sufficient help to worii the three \essels.. Without delay, a' start was made 011 -the after hatch of the Breeze, and slowly but satisfactorily unloading went on.

A number of pi eminent nun, in business and, slipping circles were present, but the organisation was not then perfect tor a combined effort to meet the situation. The position improved during the morning, and at noen the three vessels were slowly but surely Joeing worked.

After noon the number of hands considerably increased, and. for the evening shift there was quite a rush of applicants. Upwards of 140 men. were employed throughout the day, and fully an egiial number were."; turned down," owing to thsro being no room for them. This was exclusive of a considerable body of the National Reserve who marched to the wharves in the .evening, ready and willing to turn to. The record for the day was exceedingly good, competent authorities 6f fong experience declaring that the amount of cargo handled, and the way in which it was handled, was ahead'of the record for a good many months past.

The Farmers' Union executive had decided to call a meeting, but in viewl of the large number of voluntary work-' ers offering, it was considered unnecessary to. take any steps for the present. ...

There will be no conference this morning. The representatives of the employers consider that in view'of the men's positive refusal to work'any overtime, it ; would be useless to discuss the matter with them. They are willing to employ any members of the union under the conditions of the old agreement, but they cannot assent to a restriction which would have the effec of disastrously affecting the shipping business of the port. The volunteer watersiders made a very good showing, and they had first band experience of the fact that this class of work is not as strenuous as it i 3 popularly represented in some quarters. Working side by side could be seen a boy in knickers and a white; iraired old man; and they held their end up right well. \ :

Ihe "unemployed" watersiders appeared to view the situation with indifference, and from a distance, as the working area was roped off, a nd a speoxal police beat was created for the occasion. . •..■•■

Work will be resumed this morning with voluntary labour. f