WHARF WORKERS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1227, 8 September 1911, Page 3

WHARF WORKERS.

CONDITIONS OF LABOUR. DEPUTATION TO THE lION. J. A. MILLAR.

A deputation from the Waterside Workers' Federation waited upon tho Hon. J. A. Millar, Minister for Labour, yesterday to lay before him a number of matters which had been discussed at their annual conference at Auckland. The deputation was introduced by Mr. D. M'Laren, M.P. It consisted of Messrs. J. Heed (president, Lyttelton), It. 11. Voyce (vicepresident, Lyttelton), F. Lincli and W. I'ring (Lvrlulton), T. Smith and V. Curtis (Wellington).' Mr. M'Laren said all the principal ports were represented on tho deputation. It desired to touch the questions of workers' compensation and harbour regulations, 'the federation appreciated the action of tho Minister in recently introducing regulations, but considered" that there niignt shortly be need to expand them. Mr. J. Reed mentioned tlic enforcement of harbour regulations. Thero seemed to bo some misunderstanding in the matter. Some regulations had apparently been gazetted, but not enforced. It was considered that it should bo tho duty of the harbourmaster to cnfoice these regulations, but at some ports the harbourmaster had not seemed eager to undertake tho work. In brief, they desired that someone should be mado responsible for enforcing these regulations. A practical man, who had been a watersido worker, should be appointed as an inspector in each of the principal, ports, at anyrate, to enforce these regulations and to inspect ships' gear.

The Trouble at Patea. Mr. IT. E. Voyce suggested a reduction of overtime hours, and urged that no man should be ashed, to work after 10 p.m. In connection with tho little trouble at Patea in February ho was informed that, two of the men who camo out had not yet been reinstated.

The Minister said the understanding was that these men should be given 'their share of work, but that the men who had been taken on were not to bo dismissed.

Mr. M'Laren said he was informed that two men who had not previously been employed on waterside work had been kept on in place of watersiders who had gone out.

The Minister said he was informed that two men had not offered to come back.

Mr. Voyce remarked that the men at the Bluff desired to be paid every H days. The Minister said this could no doubt be done.

Mr. Voyce next mentioned the Casual Labourers' Union at Lyttclton. The members of the Stevedores' Union still thought, they had a grievance. Another question raised by Mr. Voyce was that of providing safety nets at the hatches of ships so as to minimise the risk of accidents. Three or four lives had been lost along tho water-front in New Zealand during the past two or three years owing to neglect of this precaution. It' was also desired that (he use of (lare lights in holds should he abolished. They were unhealthy and did not give sufficient light to enable work to bo carried out properly. Mr. T. Smith urged that relief pay," under the Workers' Compensation Act, should bo given from the day upon which an accident occurred. In regard to the Arbitration Act, the unions desired power to strike a name off the list' if he should bo twelve month's in arrears. Tho unions asked for power to remove tho names of men so placed if thev should appear in error. In tho matter of wharf holidays it was suggested that local bodies might' he induced to observe holidays on the same day in the Customs Department. Tho Minister said soma holidays were fixed by Act of Parliament, 'it was scarcely possible to interfere with tho freedom of the local bodies.

Mr. Smith remarked that "dumps" of flax and wool of excessive weight were sometimes brought down on the railways. Sometimes they weighed as much as eight cwt. Their Arbitration award stipulated for 5V cwt. as a maximum, and yet ono man had to handle these double, dumps of flax and wool. The Minister: Would not that bo a breach of the award? Mr. Smith said the Court had held that these dumps were special transhipments, to which the general award provisions did not apply. lie suggested that if tho Railway .Department charged double or treble freight on these large dumps they would be done away with. The federation asked that, wherever possible, a coroner's jury, in eases of fatal injury, should consist of workers in the industry in, which the victim had been engaged.

The Minister in Reply. The Minister, in replying, mentioned, as showing tho difficulty of administering regulation.', that one. rej'ilatioh had been made providing "that all beams should be removed." This had been intended for the protection of men working under hatches, but it had been so interpreted that a collier which had mot able beams running fro-n end to end had been com-' polled to take them all out. He would look into the question of appointing inspectors, but it wa.i a cry in this country that tho Government had appointed an army of inspectors. It would cost JJ3OO a year to fall in with the suggestion so far as the principal ports were concerned, but he wouid not be deterred by this if he camo (o tho conclusion that the inspectors wcrj necessary. He would liko to be able to do something in the me.ttor of stopping overtimo at 10 p.m. As Mr. Voyce had said, it was sometimes impossible under present eruditions to provide a sufficient number of railway trucks. Object-bus would tome from shipowners, who would allegd increased cost and loss of time. The suggestion in regard to doing away with Hare lights would offer no difficulties where ships were fitted with electric light?, or in ports where switches were obtainable, but it was impossible to make a hard and fast rule in tho matter. As to workers' compensation, if he brought in a provision that compensation shrald date from the day of tho accident it would abolish the compensation now paid to workers employed bv the smaller employers if labour. It premiums were raised, these <mployors would carry their own risks, and workers suing them would probably be unable in many cases to recov3r anything. Tho payof £1 a week now made had involved an increase in premiums of from 12i to 15 per cent. To make the further concession asked would raise premiums 100 'per cent for half the accidents that occurred did not incapacitate men for seven days. In principle it was absolutely right That payment should date from tho time of an accident, but if this were done the effect would inevitably be as he had indicated. A suggestion "had lately been made that' the right to £1 a week should be foregone and that the English Act should be adopted which provided for a maximum payment of £2 10s. per week. The whole matter was now bcioro the Labour Bills Committee.. Tho Minister promised to look into the matter of excessively heavy flax and wool "dumps." Ho agreed that a member twelve months in arrcar should be struck off the books of a union. Mr. Voyco said they also contended that a man should bo compelled to pay arrears boforo rejoining a union. The 'Minister concurred. As lo tho Casual Labourers' Union tho Minister concurred. As to tho Casual Labourers' Union at Lyttollon, the Minister stated that the Railway Department must havo a certain number of men at call in that port and in return guaranteed them a living wage. If they allowed anyone to come in they could not provide a living wage and the whole lot would be brought down to a starvation wage. Ho thought it would be a good thing if (he waterside workers everywhere limited tho membership of their unions. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Millar said the Departmental labourers at Lyttelton now averaged about £2 !)s. per week. If tho union were thrown open wages would fall to about 325. Cd. per week. Mr. Voyce said thepo were not sufficient' men in the union to cope with the work of the Railway Department. The Minister stated that if this were borne' out by a report he would insist on tho union admitting a sufficient, number of men to relieve (he pressure on the stevedores' union. In admitting new men preference would be given to those who were married. Finally Mr. Millar promised fo frame a regulation making the use of a safety net at the open hatch of a ship compulsory.