THE MENACE.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1761, 28 May 1913, Page 7

THE MENACE.

SHIP COS' & FEDERATION,

IS A COMPACT DESIGNED?

*' TO SHUT OFF FREE LABOUR. [ FARMERS' OPINIONS. The astonishing, news that certain shipi ping companies proposed to enter into . an alliance -with the Federation of Labj our with a view to shutting out free waterside labour formed "the gravest topic which camo before thi? conferenco r o f tho Wellington Provincial Farmers' :• Ur.ion at Masterton yesterday. "A Disflusting Position." Tho chairman (Mr. J. G. Wilson) stated . that he had received a letter from the > ' president of the South Canterbury Farml eis' Union in connection with tho recent i strike of tho Tiuiaru wharf labourers, and a new position, which has cropped up. [ The letter stated that a conference had ; been arranged to bo held at Christchurcli on May 29, between tho shipping com- ' jKuiios and representatives of the Federu- ' tion of Labour, and it is stated tliat thera i is practically no doubt whatever that tho companies would accept the demands of the federation that the new uiuoii just formed in Timuru under tho Arbitration Act should bo ienored. and tho writer presumed that both at i'unaru and elsewhere tho federation unions wero only to lie recognised. If such was tho. position of matters, it seemed, a very 3 disgusting oue, almost amounting to a combination between the shipping com- ! panics and the Federation ot Labour 1 against the producers of _tho Dominion. ' Tim writer suggested that it might bo de- < sirable to protest oil behalf of tho l'arm--5 era' Union against such an arrangement.

"The Unholy Alliancc."

Mr. Wilson added that it seemed that tho position was an intolerable one. if ' tho shipping companies and workers com- ' bined it would be a menace to free la .Ijour. It was certainly dcsirablo that t ie producers bestir themselves in tlic mat H« moved: "That this conference learns with dismay that there is » likelihood of .au agreement being en- • tercd into between the shipping companies and the \Vater6lde U opkeifl Union whereby free labourers aro to excluded from work on tho ■wharves, and tho reccntly-formwl Wharfworkers' Union at Timaru is to bo ignored by the parties to tho agreement. This is such an unwarranted interference with tho liberty or til's subject and such a menace to tne farming community that this conference protests against this unholy ol- • liance. The monopoly of tho shipping I companies is already a danger and an expensive one to tho community, but it a combination between them and tho wharf labourers is permitted , they ' will be able to charge any freig it. impose any charges, and practically prohibit any possible chance of a new lino of steamers being started to combat tho present monopoly, and that this resolution bo forwarded to the I'remior." Serious for the Producer. xMr. Birch seconded the motion. It ivas a serious matter for the producer, and the farmers should make their voico heard before such an unholy alliance is made. It was high time I hey protested against such a combination of the Fcd- ! eration ol' Labour and tho Shipping Com- ; panics. Mr. Campbell said that ns long as tlia Homo companies stood out tho producers would not suffer so much. Mr. Moore said that he considered tho > whole trouble was with labour. "What tho deuce is tho good of trving to deal with labour," ho said. "Ihpy can do what they like, and wo aro powerless." Continuing, he said that everyone was combining except tho farmer, and that the crux of tho matter jvas for tho farmer to combine more. Mr. Nevins said that the agreement meant preference to unionists, and did away with free labour. Mr. Mathesou said that the agreement meant tho restriction of freo labour. It was a declaration of war on the part'of the Federation of Labour. Tho motion was carried. WATERSIDE OPINIONS. FARMERS & SHIP COMPANIES. (By Telegraph.—Prow Association.* Auckland, May 27. Mr. Canhmu, president of the Auckland Waterside Workers/ Union, interviewed regarding tho news, says there has been no suggestion of giving a guarantee to securo immunity from strikes such as stated. The matter had not come up for consideration by the executive of tho Federation, of which he was a member. In nny cuso such a proposal would not liavo his support. Ho regarded disapproval by the farmers of nny suggestion to exclude free "labour as nuite natural under tho circumstances. Farmers relied on surplus labour from the country at the present timo to bo available at tho waterfront. Ono could hardly blame tho labourer himself—a man must live—but tho farmers did not realise that tho shipping companies could and would just as readily exploit tho farmers as anybody. DISAPPROVAL IN DUNEDIN. "FEDERATION SAVING ITS FACE." (By Telegrapli.—PrcEa Association.) Dunedin, May 27, Tho Press Association telegram from" Christchurch, concerning a report that a conference is to I>3 held there between representatives of tho Christchurch Shipping Companies and the' Federation of Labour, to discuss arrangements by which the companies will virtually exclude freo Inborn; from employment on tho wharves, has caused some comment in Dunodin. Inquiries made amongst local watorsido workers drew tho information that, so far ns they wero concerned, they had no knowledge of the suggested conference, while representatives of tho shipping companies likewise expressed their ignorance of nny movement in the direction indicated."Further investigations, however, revealed the fact that tliero is no doubt that such a conference is proposed, and soveral members of the Otago Employers' Association, when seon on the matter, expressed themselves in strong terms of disapproval of tho action of the representatives of the- Christchurch shipping companies. i It was nlso gathered that tho movement is an entirely local one, without the other centres'appearing to liavo been consulted in regard to tho conforence, and a suggestion was made that it is a diplomatic move on tho part of tho federation to save its faco after tho rebuff it received ovor tho Timaru striko. Thoro seems to bo 110 question so far as local employers are concerned but that strong criticism of, tho pr&poscd confcrcnce wilt go forward from Dunedin. LIGHT ON THE POSITION. N.Z. SHIPPING COMPANY'S ATTI TUDE. (By Telegraph.—l'rcas Association.) Christchurch, May 27. A reporter to-day saw Mr, H. A. Knight, chairman of directors of tho Christchurch Moat Company, and Mr. William Murray, tho general manager of the company, in respect to tho uublislied statements regarding tho possible agreement between tho shipping interests and tho Federation of Labour, and asked if they had any information that they could givo him on tho subject. Both' gentlemen stated that whilst they had heard of tho proposed conference to discuss the matter,, the company, though deeply interested, was not absolutely directly concerned, and thorcforo they were not really aware of tho oxact linturo of the negotiations, if any, that may havo taken place. They added, however, that the basis of the suggested compact between the shipping interests and the Federation of Labour, as far as tlioy know, from such information as had reached them, was of 6uoh a nature that tliey could not concoivo it nossible that any of tho shipping' com-

TNUiieg concerned could contemplate entering into an agreement on tho linos rumoured. Mr. A.. W. Bennett, of tho New Zealand Shipping Company, in reply to tho reporter's inquiry, said that the statement that' tho conference was to bo'between representatives of tho Union Steam Ship , Company' and the Federation of Labour was incorrect. "Whatever tho result of tho conference may be," Mr. Bennett continued, "tho New Zealand Shipping Company has no intention of doing anything which will prejudice the position of the free,labourers in .Timaru. Under no circumstances shall wo throw them over, as they camo to our help when tho old union refused any longer to work under , tho agreemant..' That is the • attitude of the New Zealand Shipping Company." PROTEST FROM EMPLOYERS. A, HARMFUL ALLIANCE. 1 , Christchurcti, May 27. . At a meeting of. .tho executive, of the"' .Canterbury Employers'' Association, the following motion was agreed to:—'"The Canterbury Employers' Association most ■strongly protests against any agreement being entered into by any shipping company- which - may prevent free labour bejing used when the necessity requires , it. The association is of opinion that such an agrianieufc /irauM Iw ijgainst tlva bwt interests of the wholo community, nn<l most harmful to every industry in the Dominion, whether agricultural, pastoral, or manufacturing." ACCIDENTS AND FATALITIES. ::;.V '■ . ..TTTO.^SIvDDEN,.DEATHS. . ■ IBy Telegrapa;—Press Association.l • 'Auckland 1 , May 27.. John Cassidv. a wharf labourer, dropped dead on the I'erry lVharf while talking to a ticket collector. Thomas Mincher, aged 53, collapsed in > traincar. When a doctor arrived the man was dead. .'" 4 COAL GAS POISONING. Christchurch, May 27. The condition of l'eter Murdoch, _of Mosgiel, who is suffering from poisoning by coal gas, continues critical. Tho hospital authorities this morning report no 'improvement. '• UNKNOWN MAN INJURED. Auckland, May 27. An unknown man who had a meal in a Queen Street restaurant to-night, on going out, fell downstairs and was taken to tho 'hospital, where it was found that ho lihad fractured the base of his skull. His .'condition is critical. So far ho las not ■ ! 'been identified.. A bey scout, named Stanley M'Clelland, 13 years of age, residing with his parents at OS Rintoul Street, Newtown, was ademitted to the hospital last evening, suffering from a severe cut in the. calf of the jleft leg. It is stated that M'ClellandVas 'scouting on the hills, when a stone rolled Idown, and struck him on the leg below 'the knee. Against Accidents and Sickness insure '-yith the Ocean Accident and Guarantee | Corporation, Ltd.. 117 and 121 Customhouse Quay, Wellington.—Advt.