THE DEVON HOLD-UP.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1845, 3 September 1913, Page 7

THE DEVON HOLD-UP.

4 WORK TO PROCEED. k MEN GRANTED EXTRA PAY. r 3 , * Difficulties ill connection with tho : handling of cargo from tho wrecked t steamer Devon were to a certain extent a overcome yesterday evening. As reported in yesterday's issue, the steamer Awaroa and tho scow Echo, which s brought cargo from the Devon, could s not bo discharged owing- to the fact that - labour was not forthcoming. Members J of the Waterside Workers' Union re--1 fused to 'handle the cargo because it had oeeii worked by freo labour at the wreck. 3 following this, tho Harbour Board's permanent staff declined to touch tho cargo, alleging [that if tlioy did so they would have been subject to a continuous ( stream of insult from the men they bad to work among every day. This led to , the suspension of tho whole 65 permanent labourers on. the staff of the board. A special meeting of tho. Harbour t Board was called for 10 a.m. yesterday to consider the boat's position in regard | to labour. The chairman (Mr. 11. Fletcher) announced at tho meeting that \ as it was impossible for the country members to bo present they had been communicated with by telegraph in reference to tho matter. The meeting went into committee and sat until 12.40 , p.m. There was a further sitting in tile afternoon, and at 5 o'clock it was announced that matters had been arranged ' whereby labour would bo forthcoming to , work tho Devon's cargo. The chairman of the board (Mr. R. Fletcher) subsequently gave a brief statement of the proceedings. Members of tho board discussed tho question in tho morning, and received a deputation from tho Waterside Workers' Union. It was mutually agreed between the deputation and the board that an endeavour j should bo made to meet the companies interested in regard to the dispute. The ■ deputation,,.suggested that the chairman should approach tho companies, but ; Mr. Fletcher did not desiro to act alone ' in tho matter, and it was therefore decided that Captain D. J. Watson and Mr. H. L. Nathan should act with him as a committee to bring about a settlement. In tho afternoon this committoo met representatives of tho shipping companies and underwriters interested, ■ and as a result a compromise was effected in regard to tho rates of pay for dist charging the Devon. Terms we're offered by the companies and accepted by the i Waterside Workers' Union. The men are ' now to rcceivo 3s. per hour from 7.30 1 a.m. until 6 p.m., and Cs. per hour after 6 p.m. Pay will run from the time of 1 leaving town until tho return to tho ' wharf, and will inchido meals. ' Arrangements wore made for tho men to start tho work of unloading the , Awaroa and. tho Echo at 6 o'clock yesterday evening. A further special meeting of tho Har- . bour Board has been called, for 2.15 p.m. to-day to consider tho position in regard to tho board's permanent staff of labourers. The waterside workers "turned to" last oveming, and discharged the ■ Devon's salvaged cargo from the ■ steamer Awaroa and tho schooner Echo, both </f which vessels wciro lying at the ; wool wharf. Tho salvaged cargo, which comprised chiefly motor oil, was transferred to tho harbour shed on the wool i wharf. Work on tho Echo was ceased at about 8.10 p.m., and the men coin- ! pleted discharging on the Awaroa at about 8.35 p.m. WHAT MICHT HAVE BEEN. OUTSIDE OPINIONS. 1 "Wo could have smashed this strike —for that is what it amounts td—in ono act," said a local shipping man, "if the chairman of tho board had given tho . word. Smashed it as they did at Timaru. I could have got one hundred ; men in an hour to discharge the Awa- : roa's cargo, and she would have • been back at the wharf with another loao. by this time. The only thing to do ' is to fight these men, who are doing so i much to injure tho port. They are fights ' ; ilig for a rate of wage that their work:, i ' is not worth, and everybody tempor- ' ! ises." What about suspending tho pcrman- < ent staff y I "That is the only thing the board lias done with any backbone in it. They 1 should have followed it up by adver- ■ tising for suitable men to fill the places. • What a scuttlo you would have seen. I These permanent men are good, steady i ' workers, and at heart hate to refuse 1 to do the work, hut their fear of being called "scab" is greater than tlioir de- ■ sire to follow tho dictates of their minds." i