THE WATERSIDE HOLD-UP

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 31, 31 October 1919, Page 8

THE WATERSIDE HOLD-UP

A SETTLEMENT

THE MEN RESUME WORK

NEWCASTLE COAL BEING UNLOADED

The trouble which arose on Wednesdnv in connection with the employment, of labour on the waterfront collated suddenly yesterday morning, wlien the waterside workers, who the previous day. had declined to work on the discharge of Newcastle coal, ex the Kaiapoi and Kaitnnuatii, answered the call, at 8 a.m., when labour was formally called to work those vessels. The question, was at once asked, would labour be employed on all the other vessels if the Newcastle boats were worked? An answer in the affirmative was given, and at once the men enrolled for the work of unloading the two colliers, and proceeded merrily throughout the day.

The. action of the men in answering the call so readily yesterday morning is said to have been the result of discontent among the ordinary cargo workers (not coal bands) at being suddenly deprived of work bv the action of the coa! hands in their decision not to work the ICnianoi and Kaitangnta. In other quarters if; was freely stated that. the prompt "backdown" was due to any such impasse, at was created on Wednesday, being detrimental to the interests of Labour candidates at the coming elections..

When approached by a Dominion re. porter, Mr. .1. Roberts, secretary of the New Zealand Workers' Federation. Mr. li. Glovei president), and Mr. J. G. Bruce (secretary) of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union, all slated that thev had no comment In make on the position. "Alt I can say." remarked Mr. Glover, "is that work is going on as usual."

WHERE TO GET COAL A QUESTION IN THE HOUSE. A question was asked by Mr. P. Eraser in the House yesterday afternoon on the recent industrial trouble on the Wellington wharves. Mr. Eraser asked whether the Prim? Minister Iliad received from Mr. .T. Roberts aletler in connection villi the miners' dispute. He.understood that in the letter Mr. Roberts agreed' that there should be a conference between b'<: coal mine owners and the miners, with an impartial chairman. He wished to know whether the Minister would give effect (o this undertaking. Also, he ivoulrl like to know whether fihe Minister nnrn-n—--1 of inaugurating; proceedings against tho employers for locking out th? men on tho wharves on. Tuesday and Wednesday. Further, he wished to know whether the Prime Minister was awarp tlin'i tli? freight on coe.l from Newcastle to New Zcalnnd was very higfli.. He mentioned that coal landed at Lyttcllnn, ex Tropic, cost .£7 ss. per ton' mi trucks, and he asked whether the Minister did not think ill mor? ad'-isable and sensible that tho miners should be pra.uted soivo adequate increase in the hewing rale rather than that such rates should be {Said In the shipping oonipani:s. Mr. Mnssey said r.lis\fc it was impo'siH". for him to remember the details nf i-'ii fliiesh'on _ asked, 'and be suggested (hat the querbs be put on the' Order Pa:;er. He w'as ciuilf willing to admit that New Zealand lind hi'.d to pay very hiriv pric°s for coal, but tho need was to keen the railways running and the industries of ths country running. As to the legal question raised, ho was not prepared lo admit thai any brendh of the law had been committed. If the honourable gentleman was anxious on the matter he would refer tho question to the SolicitorGeneral. As to the settlement of the ilisputp, there was no one more an.vioiw iiban he ivjis to have this trouble settled, but he was not to blame for what li.id been going on. He did not. blame the rank and file of the miners or of tho waterside workers, but he did blame their leaders, and the sooner the leaders of the workers lie had named camo to a better way of thinking l the l.vtter it would ho' for tho workers themselves, and tho better it would bo for the country.

Mr. Fraser asked again ivhjther the Minister would endeavour to bring about •a conference with an impartial dhairman. He suggested thr.t the workers hud come to a reasonable way of thinking and that Mi?. Minister might use his influence to bring the employers to the same frame of mind.

Mr. Massey said that the difficulty mis that there had already been a conference, a rory x lengthy conference, and as the outcome "of that conference some proposals had been made by lllie employers. It had soenifd to him that the employers had made a reasonable proposal but Hie miners had turned it down. That offer, he understood, was still open, and ibis own offer, to find an impartial chairman for i> conference between the parties, should such a conference be arranged, still held.