THE NEW WATERSIDES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1935, 18 December 1913, Page 6

THE NEW WATERSIDES.

FUTURE PREFERENCE.

THE HARBOUR BOARD'S ATTITUDE. . The future attitudo of tlio "Wellington Harbour Board towards the waterside workers who rendered assistance in striko time was considered at last night's meeting of the board. ill'. A. M'Farlane moved:— "That all casual wharf labourers who joined the Arbitration "Union oil or before December Sj and have worked for the board, shall continue to be ottered preference of employment- after the striko is over, if, in t'lio opinion of the wharfinger and labour foreman, they are satisfactory workers and of good character. And that all additional wharf labourers put on from this date must produce evidence that they aro members of the Arbitration Union and of good character." In moving the motion, Mr. M'Farlane said that t-Ue board only' employed a third of the labour 011 tho waterfront. Other-labaur was provided by shipping companies and others. 111 order to bring all into line, he thought it best to movo this resolution. The men who had como to the aid of 'the board in a timo of trouble were entitled to whatever consideration the board could give them. It would be a good tiling for the board to increase the permanent staff even if it cost the board a little more than the old system did. It would bo better to have a few more gcod men than a large force of casuals. A number of men put in a day or two working 011 the wharves so as to evade the Vagrancy Act. He was in sympathy with labour, but he thought it would bo a good thing to wipe oil' somo of tliose men who were giving the good workers a bad name, j Mr. M. Cohen, who seconded the motion, made it clear at the start that he wished to see a clean slate as far as the old union was concerned. It had been said that it was impossible to put down gambling on the wnarves. He thought the board should prevent gambling 011 their own property, It wis a practice which attracted to the wliarvos undesirable characters. Someone interjected that the matter was a police duty. Mr. Cohen: ''Then the police havo failed badly in an-important public < .duty." It was rumoured,"and the public "had a right . to know of it, that certain undue influence was brought to bear as to the employment of certain men, and that other men. were trammelled by these influences. The. sooner the board got rid of this state of affairs the better. However, this was only rumour, and lie could not dwell 011 it. It was said, also, that some of these men were guilty of insubordination to the executive officers.' Mr. Cohen hoped' that tho circular which recently emanated from tho Prime Minister would bear fruit. He then went on to say that tho country wished to bo certain that the board would do tho square tiling by the men who, in spite of rislcs, came to its assistance in a time of trouble. Mr. C. W. Jones said that tho shipping companies wero prepared to take a decided stand to put down gambling on tho waterfront. Tho chairman of tho hoard, Mr. K. Fletcher, supported the motion. He said that his own staff, who had como to his assistance, would be retained. As regarded work 011 the wharves, men. wero now being chopped about from time to time (say, from handling wool to working in the holds), hut soon tliey hoped to keep men practically at 0110 class of work. Speaking of the gambling phase, he said that ne was strongly ill favour of putting the evil down. "Jifforts had been maao, and representations liad been made to tho police, but tlio police could do 110 more than anyone else. Tho gamblers had all sorts of signs, and as soon as a stranger approached, gambling ceased. Plainclothes constables had failed to catch them. Referring to Mr. Cohen's suggestions of inltuenco having been brought to bear, Mr. Fletcher said that he knew nothing of such a state of affairs, and had not heard a whisper of it before. He" had never exercised m.iluence. Mr. Colien explained that 110 did not for a moment wish to suggest that Mr. Fletcher had brought any influence to bear. Mr. A. 11. Hindmarsh said that the motion seemed almost useless because it left too much to the foreman and tlio wharfinger. Also, ho doubted T.ho justice of "the'motion. A month hence a sailor might come here, and go to the wharf for work. Why should others have preference over this man, who had nothing to do with tho strike P t Further, tlio system would provoke bickering. To a certain extent it was unjust to°givo men a preference over men who would join hereafter. Mr. Fletcher: It was the same before the strike. Several hundred men got tho preference. Mr. llindmarsh maintained that the policy of the board could bo carried out without this, wliich would only cause irritation. . Mr. H. L. Nathan thought that the policy could bo caried out without difficulty . Ho pointed out that other employers had guaranteed permanent work to the men who had come to their aid, and lie thought the board should do likewise. Mr. W. T. Hildrctli, also, was of the opinion that thcro' would bo no great difficulty. Mr. A. D. Kennedy said that something more than tho mere resolution was necessary to give effect to tho wish. Mr. Nathan: I presume that if this resolution is carried instructions will be given to tho officers? Mr. Fletcher: Of course. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan deemed the motion to be a temporary expedient. In tho long-run the capabio men would get tlio work. Gambling had grown because the door of tlio old union liad been opened so wide as to admit anyone. Tho practice might continue if tho door of tlio new union was likewise thrown wide. More permanent men should bo engaged. Mr. R. A. Wright disagreed with the criticism of tlio motion. He said that everything should bo done to prevent a recurrenco of sucli industrial disturbances. As many permanent hands as possible should bo put on. Ho remarked that tlioro wero many men in Wellington who wero refugees from their own country. Tho motion was carried without dissent.