THE WANAKA INCIDENT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 754, 1 March 1910, Page 8

THE WANAKA INCIDENT.

/:■, i .WORK RESUMED. . . a , c6nference ; arranged fob. When the tJnion Steam J3hip Company's labour foreman' called for hands yesterday morning to continue the unloading of the .Wanaka, there was no response, l'or a couple 'of ihours the ship lay idle, but, at 10 o'clock it was .arranged that a conference should'be held between the manager of the Unitin Company (Mr. Kennedy), • Captain Stott (shore superintendent), Mr. P. Hally (Conciliation Commissioner), Mr. D. MTjaren, M.P., Mr. James Bruton (president of the Wharf Labourers' Union), and Messrs. T. Smith and G. Farland (secretary and assistant-secretary of the Wharf Labourers' . Union respectively). ■'■ As a result of the discussion, it was agreed that, the men should resume work, and not use hooks in handling the bags of cement, but that there should be two additional men to each' gong—(that is to say that where four men were employed on Saturday in a gang there should bo six to-day)—and that before another steamer arrives.with a cement cargo■ a conference will be held between the shipping company, representatives of the \Vharf Labourers' Union, and the consignees of the cement with a view to smoothing over, the difficulty by some satisfactory arrangement. ' When the conference had completed its deliberations, the secretary of the union communicated with the men, who wore waiting about the wharves. After somo few minutes sufficient men were secured to go on with the unloading operations, and the progress made enabled the Wanaka to sail for Lyttelton at half-past ten o'clock last night. Anxious are being made as to whether the action of the men constituted ,a strike., The Labour Department has instituted an inquiry into the circumstances, but it is not known yet what: action will be taken.