ROUND THE WHARVES.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1956, 13 January 1914, Page 8

ROUND THE WHARVES.

CONFERENCE SOUGHT. L BETWEEN 018 AND NEW UNION. ! Although Between 800 and 400 preference badges have been issued, there were very few men wearing them when labour was being put .on yesterday morning. As a matter of fact, tho badgo is not an absolute ncecssity in tho majority of eases, becauso the labour foremen know most of the men. who worked on the wharves during the strike, as well as the ex-strikers who joined the union on or before December 8. Thero were no disturbances of any kind reported on the wharves yestord'ay. After all tho desired- labour had been put on in the morning, between 300 and 400 ox-strikors found themselves without employment throughout the day. Where Labour Is Engaged. On account of the decision to close the J 'donkey room" in X shed, the following places of engagement have been decided upon at a conference between the executive of the union and the employers: — "Harbour Board hands—Between F and V sfhedß. General cargo workers—Between W and X sheds. Stevedores—At the head of Glasgow Wharf. Coal workers—At the head of Railway Wharf. ' . ( There was a little confusion yestorday morning in the matter of engaging men on account of their not being familiar with the places of engagement. It is anticipated that this will right itself during the course of a day or so, when the men become aboustomed to the change. It is'held in somo quarters that the decision to engage labour at different points on the waterfront is not in accordance with tho rules. This is not a fact, as Clause 9 of the agreement states: — ; "All'labour shall be engaged in some definite place or places to be determined from time to time by ail agreement in writing between tho secretary' of tho union and tho employer or employees concerned, provided that. in the event of any exceptional circumstances arising men may be engaged elsewhere. . . ." On account of the heavy traffic in O'Brien's Buildings, where tho union offico is situated, during the_ last few days, it has been decided to eign on all . members and receive subscriptions in K vhed. Issue of Permits Discontinued. During the past few days the officials of the new union have had requests from ex-strikers and others for "permits" to work on the wharves. _ In the past it has been tho habit to issue to workers "permits" to work on tho ■wharf for a week till tho holders earned enough money to pay their entrance fees. This practice has now been discontinued. The reason given was that the executive did. not think it fair W grant "permits" to men when _so many financial members of the union were unablo to obtain employment. For the futuro entrance foes will have to be paid when a worker joins the union. There have been numbers of men, belonging to other unions, applying for membership of tho Wellington Wharf Labourers' Union on transfer. In several instances these transfers have been accepted. But these " conditions prevail only when the man presenting a transfer is a member of another Arbitration Union. Old Union Exeoutlue Moving. I $rssx;in,cjjijites mad,# yesterday .it ,was, ascertained that the oxecutivo of the old Waterside Workers' Union is seeking a conference with the executive of tho new body. What the nature of, tho conference is could not bo ascertained yesterday. It is reported,' however, that tho ' executive of , the new union will wait for a full meeting before any stops in the direction indicated will bo .taken. ■ * ■ A reporter was informed), yesterday that there was practically no pillaging of cargo during the timo that'members of tho new union were working on the wharves when the strikowas on. There were numbers of complaints before October 22—the date on which' the strike commenced—and now that the eld hands are back it is reported that there have been instances of cargo having been pillaged. It is stated that it is a very difficult matter to. detect the offenders on account of witnesses not being inclined to give evidence. • Since the strike lias concluded, instances of small business men having been compelled to close their shops and seek employment elsowhero have come to light. In this connection it may bo mentioned that a man, an ox-shop-keeper, applied for work at one of the big city warehouses lately. He stated tlint ho bad been working on tlie wharf during the strike, but when the old hands camejiack they made it too "hot" for him to stay. He had lost his, business through the strikers in the' first place, and then tho self-same strikers prevented him fronv obtaining his living at other work.