LOCAL WATERSIDE CONDITIONS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 203, 22 May 1919, Page 6

LOCAL WATERSIDE CONDITIONS

NEED OF IMPROVEMENT CONFERENCE TO BE CALLED The matter of' improving Che conditions of labour on the waterfront was considered at last night'.-? meeting of the Wellington Harbour Board, when Ml'. IJ. A. Wright, M.P., moved: "That the Wellington Harbour Board invite a conference of employers of waterside labour in Wellington to meet at the earliest possible date, in order to consider the best method of improving existing conditions and of formulating a scheme which will tend to the greater permanency and efficiency of waterside labour, in the mutual interest alike of employees, employers, and the general public." Sneaking to the motion, Mr. Wright paid the labour problem was one that had baffled harbour board? and shipping companies, and he was not* oblivious to the. difficulties it presented. There was a continual fluctuation of labour on the waterfront, at times there being plenty of employment, and at other times very little. Figures were quoted by Sir. Wright showing that, during a period of twelve months tho highest earnings of any one man were .£.119 19s. 7d., and the lowest £139 16s. 4d, Employers of waterside labour would be compelled to put • the question of employment on a permanent .basis. The work at present was intermittent, and this was not satisfactory. Powers should be granted to harbour boards to build houses for their employees. He was confident- that the solution of the difficulty lay in. the. em-' ployment of a permanent, staff. * Mr. JI. W. Welch seconded the motion. Mr. J. W. M'Ewan moved that the wording *bf the motion should be extended so as to include representatives of waterside labour. He knew that there might be a difficulty in including waterside workers in the motion because the watersiders here wero linked up with other waterside workers' unions in the Dominioik He felt that ill discussing such a question, nothing tat good conld come from co-oneration with the men who worked on the wharves. _ Mr. J. G. Cobbe seconded Mr. M'Ewan s amendment. He did not think that any good would come from such a confer'ence a's that suggested unless the waterside workers were represented.

111 - . C. E. Daniell said the question had to be faced, and it was just as well to do so now.

Mr. Wright, in reply to Mr. C. H.' Chapman, said he was not inclined Id accept Mv. M'Ewan's suggestion at pre-, sent.

Mr. Chtfpman remarked that some men preferred casual employment. Tlio only trouble was that they might, become domoralised if they'did not have sufficient work to go to. "Only a small number of the men on the waterfront conduct themselves in a way that could be improved upon," said Mr. (Jhapnian. "The! great majority of tlio men aro decent citizens, and should be treated as decent citizens, 'l'o treat them as decent citizens you must take them into your counsels -when considering schemes for improvement." Captain C. M'Arthur and Mr. C. Turrell, speaking for the shipping interests, said that the companies would be quite willing to meet the men. ' Mr. Turrell thought, however, that before conferring with tho men tho employers should discuss the position a/mongst themselves and see if they could draft a workable scheme, The chairman, Mr. .T. G. Harkness, said that ho was entirely in favour of Mr. Wright's motion. Whatever was done in Wellington must, if it succeeded, beI come a Dominion affair. What was first necessary was to. seo if the employers could formulate a scheme which would make for greater efficiency on tho wharves. Having arrived' at an agreement, the employers should then confer with tho representatives of the watersidcrs to ascertain whether the 6cheme suggested met with their approval. Mr. Cobbe: If you don't allow the men to come to the conference at the beginning they will look on the wholff thing with suspicion. Mr. Chapman: They would regard it as a farcel • 'Mr. Welch then withdrew his support to the motion, as lie said that ho bad been under the impression that Mr. Wright intended to include tho representatives of waterside labour in his proposal. He agreed with the views expressed bv Mr. M'Ewan; , , Mr. E. E. Sinclair seconded Mr, Wright's resolution in Mr. Welch's stead. Mr. Wright emphasised that he had n» intention of ignoring the men. "Tho employers of labour have not agreed amongst themselves," he said. "There is a big problem to be solved. If you had the men at the confercnce at the beginning I don't know that it would help tho matter, as they would have to be silent spectators whilst the employers* thrashed out their difficulties." .? The amendment to include the representatives of the watersiders was lost, and Mr. Wright's resolution, was adopted.