WATERSIDE LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 186, 26 April 1918, Page 9

WATERSIDE LABOUR

SINGLE CONTROL HARBOUR BOARD TO SEEK EXTENDED POWERS As the result of careful deliberation n special cominitteo of the Wellington Harbour Board brought down the following recommendation at Wednesday's meetiug of the board;— To approach the Government with a J request that the- Harbours Act bo amended in such a manner us to empower ■ harbour boards to employ, control, and nianngu nil labour re- • quired in the loading and unloading of ships and waterside work generally, whether on the wharves or on vessels. The. chairman pointed out the difGculties and loss that occurred iu the working of the port by the dual control system as Tegarde tho control of labour. All tho labour on the wharves and in the sheds was under the direction of the board; whilst the labour engaged on the wharf for tho ships was under the direction of tlie shipping companies, whose interests were- not so immediately affected, as were the board's when changes were brought about. For that reason it was considered that it would bo in the ■ interests ot economy and efficiency if there ivns only one control of labour on ■the waterfront, and that control should bo the Harbour Board. Mr, J. G. Harkness made a eharp attack on the methods of the board in re(,'ard to its control of labour. Ho instnncwl the extravagant manner in which the Jiew cheese store was managed. In Pntea, where a good deal more cheese was handled than in tho new store hero, all the work was done by a manager and a staff of six men, wliilst in Wellington thero was a staff of oight, and about twenty men were employed to truck tho cheese to tho steamer'e side. Hβ was of opinion that the Harbour Board should eet its own house in order Ixtfore seokiug for moro extended powI ers in respect to the control of labour. I . Mr. .T. Q. Cobbo thought that ono con- i I trol was always better than dual con- ! trol, and that tho ohange proposed in | i the motion was for the benefit of tho i port. ■ I Mr. J. W. MTSwan said that at tho present time tho Harbour Board controlled one third of the waterside labour, and it should not bo difficult to extend that control. It was well known that the Harbour Board could not do all it wished to do, owing to the influence of the shipping companies on labour, and ho thought if they npproached Parliament they would bo refused the power they sought. ". • Mr. Wallis thought tho committee should have brought down ,1 scheme. To his mind tho question was fraught with immeasurable'difficulties. •• Mr. R. Fletcher spoke- iu favour of the proposal. . Mr. M. Cohen -.recalled tho many times they had been up against a, brick wall, because, they had. had to "danco to, the piping of, another, body," which body was rather irresponsible ris it was involved in no cost, but still tho boarcl had lost by it. ' . ■ ■Tho chairman.said that Mr. Harknees had challenged the administration of tho cheeso store. He .was jiroud of the store, he was proud.of the testimony of tho producers ■of the cheese, and fho graders, and tho officiate who .took such good care, of it. Ho said that ■on a recent dny he'watched the operation' of i loading cheese from tho store to. the • ship. lie-'watched the cheese going | away from the store, but at twenty-two ; minutes to twelve, ho eaweomo of' the cheese coming.- baek. On inquiry ho found' that "those oh the ship had refused to (nice any more,' .as they had to get the hatches on.by 12 o'clock. So that at lenst -10 men in the employ of the Harbour Board wero.-kept idle for those twenty-two minutes.' And ho- assumed I that as they, took that time to put the hatches on, they would take the same time to remove-them,' so thai) at'about 1.80.p.m. Ilioy got going , ngniii. . ' •'. A'yoico: .Who was to li/am'e— tho 'ships or labour?- '■' ••■ ' . Tho chairman said'it was due to tho incompetent administration of tho shipownors. Mr. Wallis: No; it's tho labour. Tho chairman tsnid tliat it was duo to iho shipowners' control. They had no interest in economic administration. Mr. Wallis: Tho board could do no better. . Tho. chairman said that, thoro were just as loyal and honest workers iu (he service, of tho ljoard as there .wero in New Zealand. 'Mr. Wallis: That's why T soo Ihe men getting on tho trams at'ton minutes to twelve !■ . After furlhor discussion of ;i desultory character, the motion was carried' by eleven votes to three. Tho diesontionts were Messrs. Hark-. ncus, .M'Arthur, and Wallis.