WATERFRONT AFFAIRS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1954, 10 January 1914, Page 6

WATERFRONT AFFAIRS.

EMPLOYERS OF LABOUR. STRANGE STORY OF A PETITION, What looked liko a petition, or requisition, with soino 23 or 24 signatures attached thoreto, was found 011 tho floor ox tho Waterside Workers' Union offices on Thursday afternoon. It had boon pushed under the door and it waa addressed to 110 one in particular, lwo pieces of paper had been used in draw- ' lug up tho document. Ono contained sentences to tho eflcct that tho undersigned financial members of tho "Wellington Watorside Workers' Umra request tho executive to call a special general meeting of tho union in accordance with By-law 20, Scction (a). Tho alleged notico specified tho nature of tho business to bo transacted at the mept- ( jug. Tho second pieco of paper, which contained was pasted oil to tho- original pieco. It appears as if tho ."requisition" was put forward by several members of tho union who were Tesponsiblo for tho adjournment of Thursday's special meeting, in order that the executivo should call a special general meeting of tho union on Monday evening. It is obvious that tho executive of tho union cannot tako any notice of the requisition, and they do not intend to do so. Under By-law 20 it is stated that "all general special or committee Meetings shall bo convened\by tho secretary by notice given to tho members by circular or advertisement in local papers at least three clear days before tho day of the meeting. It will thus be seen that it would havo been impossible to hold a special general meeting even if the petition had been in order. On the other hand tho executive of iho union has dccided not to hold any further meetings of tho union at present. Meanwhile the roll will bo purged nncl all names of members who havo resigned will ho struck off. Books will also be prepared. Tho, stress of work lias hitherto prevented this being done. By these means tho executive will be ill a position to know exactly who aro financial and who are not financial mom--1 Lers of tho union. This being done, all members, who produce their books, will bo admitted to any meeting that it may be decided to call. . ; . Tho membership of tho Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union has now reached the 3-100 mark. After allowing for the men who have left there is 11 surplus of about 1000 men when work 011 tho wharves is normal. • In some departments of tho work there is not enough employment for even all the men who joined the Union during the striko and some of them tented at npt being ablo to obtain employment. When labour was being put on yesterday there was nothing in the shape of a disturbance. Preference badges were sold to soveral members who joined tho union prior to December 8. In well-informed, circles it is anticipated that when these badges are generally worn further friction between tho "new" and "old" hands is inevitable. It is understood that the executive have sent a letter to the Harbour Board asking that tho X shed be' closed for all time as a waiting Toom.