UNION SECRETARIES REPLY TO MR. HOLLAND

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1947, Page 6

UNION SECRETARIES REPLY TO MR. HOLLAND

—Tresn *ssor.iation

NOTHING WICKED IN GOING ON STRIKE

Bv Teler' — h-

WELLINGTON, March 10. There is nothing "unmoral or wieked, " as Mr. Holland had stated, when workers resorted to strike action, deelared Mr. T. Hill, national secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers'. Unioh today, wlien replying to recent statements of the leader- of the Opposition, Mr. S. G. Holland, and President' of Federated Farmers, Mr. W. W. Mul.holland. ^ / Mr. Hill declared that there had been very little industriaP nnrest in New Zealand compared with wliat was taking place in the United States and among our kith and kin in Australia and,Britain. He .said the workers were entitled to refuse to sell their labour as the seamen of the Wanganella had done, when they were refused adequate recognition for their work while the vessel was on Barrett's Reef. * • "The plaint about the exorbitant sum alleged to have been received by the seamen does not stand comparison with the return which the shipping company will receive as the result of the efforts of the seamen and others in getting the liner off the reef,'1 said Mr. Hill. "I too, am disgusted with the proces's of industrial blackmail of which Mr. Holland speaks. The crew were assured verballv they would be rewarded for their sacrifices when the ship was safe. These promises were forgotten. " Mr. Hill said he was amazed at Mr. Mulholland's remark that the '"really sinistef thing" about the Wanganella dispute was the arrival of the Federal secretary of the Australian Seamen 's Union, Mr. E. V. Elliott, who came here fo reach an agreement satisfactory to his members. That was why he was elected by the 6000 members of his union. "It is strange that hundreds of other visitors come to New Zealand and incur no comment," added Mr. Hill. "They have included prominent shipping company representatives who have confcrred with their colleagues lierc. No onc has vet suggested that these were sinister visits." Mr. R. Freeland, secretary of the New Zealand Harbour Boards' Employees Union also replied to Mr. Holland 's comments on the pavments to the tugboat erews during the salvage of the Wanganella. Mr. Freeland said the leader of the Opposition was curiously wrong in his references. The men did not receive an addkional. 17s 6d an hour. They received 7s 6d. This amount was offered by the emplovers' representatives as a just reward for tlie-discom-fort and danger experienced by the men. As instance, Mr. Freeland said, the Kahanui came from Wg.nganui with a crew of sixteen but sleeping accommodation for eight men only. Cooking and washiug facilities were meagre but the men were constantlv on duty without sleep from Monday night to Friday evenings. The tugs were being made the scapegoats for holding up a vitallv important project, said Mr. Freeland, but fiftee'n minutes aftfe'r the rnfen knew the settlement terms the tngs were on their way to resume work. If they had been told of the terms at the outset there would have been no dispute. The rate allowed was not so very mueh above. award rates for overtime.