"SIMPLY RIDICULOUS.""

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1502, 26 July 1912, Page 8

"SIMPLY RIDICULOUS.""

WATERSIDE WORKERS AND CEMENT. DECISION CRITICISED. In yesterday's Dominion- it was stated that Die waterside workers of (lie Dominion had announced that they had arranged to handle cement, only upon certain conditions. Kt-garding imported cement, it lias been decreed that the snme shall be contained in zinc, tin, or iron-lined casks. "Shipowners nnd shipping agents are requested 'in order to avoid friction* to refuse to accept as freight imported cement unless packed in terms of tho agreement entered into with the Now Zealand cement manufacturers." It was further stated that the waterside workers were determined to comply with the compact, and would refuse to unload from ships holds foreign cements unless packed as requested. The new regulation made by tho ivatersiders is to come into operation on July 1, lid;). Tho above extraordinary decree has not altogether come as a surprise to 'Wellington merchants. Some of them had been advised that something of the sort was contemplated, and even go as far as to hint that the demands being made by the waterside workers probably arise from a source outside tho scone'of tho unions concerned. Mr. J F. Mills, of E. W.. Mills and Co., thinks the demand is most extraordinary in view of the fact that at present there are few everyday commodities packed so well as English cement. The cement is packed in 4001b. brown-nnper-Imed casks, the staves of which were tongued and grooved, and so tightly are they made that not even a chink o{ daylight can be seen on putting one's head in n cask. To illustrate how fine a cask the English cement cask is, Mr. Mills had one broken up before our representative, and it was then seen what a very stronir, neatly, and tightly-made cask it" actually is, and supplemented with a strong paper lining little cement could h'nd its way out, except when a cask happened to break. "I can't make it out why such a demand should be made as a tin-lined cask. There is about Is. per cask difference in the price as it is (colonial is 10s. 9d. and English lls. 9d.), but a tin or zinc lining would cost at the very least Is. fid., and m> make tho difference about 2s. fid. or 3s. This only means that it will kilt the import trade, which has been going down steadily as it is, .ns local resources have been discovered and worked. Still there is a good demand for English cement for finishing work—it is very fine and evon in quality, and dries a lighter tone than the colonial. Ono always likes to see a local industry flourish, out the proposed restriction on English cement anpears to be without reason. The cask is the easiest thin? out to handle, either by ivaiersido worker or carter, on account of it? shapr>. It rolls- along at a touch, and there is always a free grip by which they can be up-ended." Will Fight It. "It is simply ridiculous," si-itl aiiothet merchant, who wns approached. "What, could be better to handle than theso casks?. .They aro tongued and grooved, arc paper-lined, and. what is more, tho cement is compressed, so that thero is no 'pins' , /or the cement in the ca<Jc. The demands are so ridiculous that they should be referred to the Arbitration Court straightaway. No objection has ever been made before to the handling of English cement, and our storemen nnd carters say there is absolutely nothing in it. I think the matter will be taken up—wo will most probably join hands with tho shipping companies concerned, and fight it nut to a finish."

"The men who make 6uch absurd demands ns this orw ore the claps whn cry out about (he increase in the cost of living,," continued the merchant. 'IVho mi earth do they think is going to pay the increased prion? It is not me or my firm —it is Hie ultimate consumer, the man who occupies and pays rent for the house in the construction of which tho cement is used. If the house costs ?o ranch more to build as the result of dearer cement, ho. will have to pay so. much more rent. By piliiis up the 'demands as. ho is doinor tho working man is only increasitif; his own burden. It is not the manufacturer, merchant, or middleman who suffers—it is the ultimate consumer every time. If the English cement is shut out of the market, tho chances are that the price of the local product will rise. Who will pay?"

Shipping Company's View. The representative of a shipping company which handles a good deal of the Euglish cement imported into the Dominion, states that they have never at any time had any complaint from the uieu handling cement in casks. It has always been treated as general cargo, and no extra money for handling the cement (in casks) has over been demanded. It was n matter that was difficult to understand, for in January last nn agreement was made betH-ce,ii the Federation of Labour and the shipping companies that any dispute arising should be submitted to a committee- consisting of representatives from both sides. According, to the terms of tho circular received, that agreement was to be thrown to' tho winds, though made in all good faith at the time the Federation was sitting in conference in ■Wellington. It was an absolute breach of agreement, and if persisted in they (the shipping companies) would bo forced to go back to the old conditions and Tates of pay. They would be able to find men to handle cement in casks all right. : There were lots of men employed on tho waterside who did not see eye to eye with the Federation,.and who did not approve of its methods as demonstrated in this matter. The circular received from tho Waterside Workers' Union, acting through the Federation of Labour, stated that arrangements had been mado with local (New Zealand) manufacturers to provide an absolutely dust-nroof bag. Tfiat was absolutely impossible, as the men could not be restrained from using hooks, and whenever they did they must make holes in the best of bags, and cement, being so fine, would run out. Decline in Imports, That tho amount of English cement imported into New Zealand is steadily declining is borne out by official trade statistics. T)i3 number of casks imported into the Dominion during the past five years is as follows:— Casks. 1907 239,978 1908 152,518. 1909 III.GGO 1910 131,701 1911 114,670 In reviewing the above figures it must be remembered that 1909 was a "slump" yeari notwithstanding which tho figures for last year have sunk almost to the level'"of that year. This does not indicato a lack of faith in the English article, but that more of tho locally-produced cement is being used.