The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1920. A WATERFRONT COMBINE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 60, 4 December 1920, Page 8

The Dominion. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 4, 1920. A WATERFRONT COMBINE

K''Assuming that.its .information is authentic, the Welfare League has performed; a public service in disclosing the'terms of t : he'agreement in.regard to the formation of a cooperative. .stevedoring .association which is alleged, to-have been framed by representatives of the shipping companies' and' the Watel'sidc Workers' Federation at the ; private conference they held in Wellington on November. 18. As it is. set.out in 'a communication from the Welfare League : which appears to-day, the agreement obviously amounts to a proposal by the shipping companies and waterside workers to form' a; close corporation in their -own in-, tercsts -and .' with .little . if. any safeguard "of. the. interests, .of : fthe ..general public. J .A"; scheme, of co-operation-:- between • employers and workers in the cargohandling industry, if it. embodied due safeguards against the exploitation of the :public, would be not only unobjectionable, but -highly desirable. ' The secret formation of a 1 co-operative combine which, wcriild be advantageously placed, to exploit the- public,, and which offers tho public no guarantee or safeguard against such treatment, stands, however, in'an altogether different category. Tho shipowners and watersiders concerned are bound to recognise that they havo themselves and their own methods ! of • secrecy ;to thank if they are 'in 'toy way misrepresented in the disclosure now made. Since the Waterside Conference at present sitting at Timaru is reported to be considering the "ratification .of; .the agreement, it. is. aniattcr: of urgency in the- interests of the public, that the whole of the facts should bp ..at once brought' to light and t!hat. tho parties to the agreement should declare frankly where Uicy stand- If they are acting in good faith-they have everything to gain by this course. As its. terms are disclosed by tho Welfare league, the agreement contemplates, the formation of a kind

of watolrside trust—the "New Zealand Co-operative Stevedoring Association"—which would largely monopolise the wharves and other • .eqmpmciiji- provided at public cost in the;, various' ports of the Domin-and-would be- controlled solely by the shipowners -and the -waterside workers.. The ports and their equipment, of course, are public assets, but.the public would profit little b,y_ its ownership., if a combine on which it is in no way represented were allowed to assume monopolistic control of cargo handing, and incidentally to determine in its uncontrolled discretion tho charges the public is called upon t'o pay . for this service. It would not be surprising to learn that the proposals are so far in conflict with the law as to be unworkable and impracticable. In any case, it, is .incumbent on the shipowne/rs and watersiders to: explain l why, if their arrangement aims at greater efficiency and economy jn -cargo handling, they felt ib' nccessajy to exclude, the publiVfrom all knowledge of thei'r proceedings. As a matter of fact the rather •' sketchy tennis of the agreement contains hardly, any suggestion' that .am . attempt to promote efficiency anrl economy. They, suggest rather that the shipping companies and the watersiders' are intent 6n forming a close corporation; for their mutual convenience and benefit and are doing it at the public expense. One clause provides that "dispatch .money" shall. •be paid where ■ the agreed minimum rate of discharge is exceeded, "and, correspondingly, demurrage rates to be paid when the. agreed rate, is not maintained." This might suggest the desirable innovation of payment by results, but- other clauses provide that wages are : to be paid at current rates, and overtime, "as pdr current agreement." (Apparently, therefore,- it is proposed to pay watersiders an increased rate if they discharge a ship in good time, but the demurrage rates for slow, working would presumably be "passed, on" to the long-suffering public. Inci-, dentally, it is reasonable to ask what' check there will be, in the interests of the public,' oil the fixing of a. reasonable .minimnm rate .of dis- ' charge. Unless .this is assured "dispatch money" will, be easily earned and no ; advantage secured in the. way of speedier handling of cargo to compensate for the added cost. Another objectionable detail 'is the provision that the scheme, in the first plrice" shall not apply to small coastal steamers. 'An acceptable reorganisation of the cargo-handling industry must be comprehensive in its scope anil free from any such element' of unfair discrimination.

The point to'be emphasised meantime, however, is that : shipowners and watersidcrs are not entitled sccrctly and with an e.ve only to their ow,n convenience, and advantage to revise conditions of cargo handling oil lines which' nifty easily entail an increase - in the heavy charges the public is already called upon to meet under this head. There is plenty of scope for a cooperative ■ arrangement' on the waterfront bv which the general public as well as the parties engaged iii '.the 'industry would benefit. Shipowners and : watcrsiders need fear 110 opposition in promoting such a scheme in conditions faiV and equitable to all concerned, but thqir first duty if they wish to move forward 011 these lines is to take the public fully into their confidence and invite the adequate representation of the public both inthe establishment and control of whatever, system of co-operation is found feasible in cargo-working. We arc confident that, general endorsement will he given to the contention of the Welfare League "that'no'

such scheme should \ev*r lie enforced until ratified in some way by the public." The first step in the right direction would be taken by inviting the Harbour Boards of "the Dominion to participate in the full public discussion which must procede any actual changc in the direction proposed.