NO COMPACT.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1764, 31 May 1913, Page 5

NO COMPACT.

UNION CO. & FEDERATION OP LABOUR,

STATEMENT BY SIR JAS MILLS.

"A STORM IN A TEACUP."

Tito proposed agreement between tli€ Union Steam Ship Company and the 1 ederatiou of Labour regarding the employment of unionists, to the exclusion of irco wonkers, 011 the wharves; is now stated to bb definitely "oil." This was stated clearly by Sir James Mills, managing director of tho Union Company, m an interview with a Dominion representative yesterday. Asked what wore tho facts concerning tho reported combination between the shipping companies and the Federation of Labour, Sir James Mills stated that nothing of the sort had ever been dreamt of, and that tho agitation over it was merely "a storm in a teacup." The suggestion that it was proposed to promote such a combination to tho detriment uf tho public was an absolute and mischievous fiction.

"Tho position is tiuito 6imple," said Sir James. "Tho officers of tho Federation of Labour approached the Union Company with a view to a meeting being arranged with tho leading shipping com- • panics to discuss tho position at liniam, and as a preliminary the companies wow asked to meet, to discuss the situation, and, if they thought it advisable, to meet tho representatives of tho federation later. It was clearly pointed out to tho latter that 110 arrangements were possible other than that tho position at Tinifiru should' bo accepted as it is, tho rights 01" free Inborn- at present employed to bo respected, the Watersido Workers to discharge and load cargoes irrespective of their having been handled by free labour, cither on tho trucks or elsewhere, alio, above all, a substantial monetary giiaranteo to bo given that any agreement mado should be observed in tho future* and that, unless this was understood, a l>e out of tho question. . The direct companies having dccided not to meet tho representatives of tho federation, thero is an end of tho matter, though probably a meeting will still be arranged with the representatives of those companies and the Union Company, for the purpose of discussing further possible developments. UlO position of the T/nion Company is somewhat different from that of tho direct companies, as it is working under an agreement with tho waterside workers at practically all ports in the Dominion, and is also working under agreements with organisations representing its masters and officers, its engineers, seamen, and? firemen, cooks and stewards, mechanioa and artisans, as well as the waterside workers, with all of whom conferences aro of frequent occurrence Xor tho purpose of adjusting differences and tiding over difficulties that arise from tirno to time, 1 so that tho conference proposed in this case was not regarded by tho Union' Company as a serious matter,"

A PROTEST. DIRECT COMPANIES' ATTITUDE. \ A epecial meeting of the Council Of tho Wellington Chamber of Oommerco was held yesterday morning to considor whether any action should bo taken in regard to the rumoured oompact between, the Union Steam Ship Company and the I ederation of Labour. The meeting was not open to the press. The following resolution was carried:— "That tho Wellington Chamber of Commerco protests against any shipping companies or cinploycre of labour entering into any compact which may prevent fi>eo labour from being employed. if necessity arises, and considers that any sucli agreement Will be prejudicial to tho intarests of the Dominion, and further considers that on tho termina-tion-of present agreement 110 new arrangements should bo made .with any body except under tho Arbitration Act."

Tlio president (Mr. A. E. Mabin) stated that lie had.tho authority of tho shipping companies controlling the direct steamers'to England for saying that bo far as' they wore concerned, although tliexo had boon a suggestion for a oonferenco or' shipping companies in Christchurch this week on lalour matters,, thora was absolutely no intention on tho part of the oversea companies of entering into a compact with tho Federation of Labour which would in any way debar tliol use of free labour if occasion demanded it. .Although'tho oveasea companies were prepared to attend a conference of shipping companies to discuss labour matters, they w«ro not prepared even to consider such a compact with tho Labour cm ganisations as has been suggested in tin papers, as tho idea was repellent to thom