HARBOUR CONTROL.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 590, 19 August 1909, Page 7

HARBOUR CONTROL.

WHARF WORKERS' VIEWS,

WELLINGTON GRIEVANCES AlltEp.

A strong preference-lor. olectivo liarbmtr bonrds was ailirmod by tlio Waterside Workers' Conference yesterday afternoon. .

Mr. A. L. Jones (Wellington) moved: That the federation co-oporato. with other Labour liodies, in endeftvouring to ■ secure alt' amoudnlont to the Harbours Act to provide for tho election of all niettihefs of harbour boards on the basis of 1/lto Parijumentary franchiso. : Tho mover said tho waterside worlcers in ■VVeJliiigton expected a certain amount of ■Sympathy from tho Harbour Board, lmt did not get it. There was at the present, time only ono man on tho hoard, who had at any tiino shotvn, dircctly or indirectly, any; sympathy with the* .workers. Not until tho members of tho. boards wero elected on tlio I'arliainental'y franchiso would the , workers get the sympathy they were entitled'to from men ' occupying thoso responsible positions. ' Mr. J. Brutoil' (Wellington) secoildcd the motion. -A, community .of waterside workers, aad others,' should not ho denied representation. " The board got its roveniio from tho cargoes coming in, and, therefore, from tho wholo"community. If they could not get • tho Parliamentary franchise, they Should bo given tho right to elect representatives'of tho waterfiido workers to the boards. In Wellington, tho'union had not always been able to got jnstico from the board. Their deputations had beon received Courteously, but tlieii' l'equests-had'not received the consideration that would have been given if the union bad had a direct roprcsent.'U tieo on tho board, or if tho, board wcro elected on the popular franchiso. . . .- Mr. Jackson• (ftroymouth)' said tlio mattot had liefin placed-before tho. Hon. J. A. Millar at the last conforenco, and lie had said,-that ho was' not in. favour of having any no'miiiatdd members of' harbour hoards fixcerft '.tho. Government -' nominees'. Tho .speaker strongly supported the motion. ■ Mr. 1), M'tiiireii, M.P., I'eealkd tliat the oilostioii tvas boforo tlio House' last session, 1 Whcll ; Mfi "Wilford (Ohaifnian of tho Wellington Harbour Hoard)"and. several other members expressed tkefnselvcs in favour of. pnrfclv ekctive boards on the Parliamentary franchise. If the' federation followed on thoso . broad-.'lines, they could expect con-! siticrablo .backing, • and, he hoped, early j SUOCOSS. ■' ; ' . '■ ( • ■ The motion was carried unanimously.' ,;