THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 138, 7 March 1921, Page 5

THE WATERSIDE DISPUTE

ANOTHER CONFERENCE HELD FINALITY NOT REACHED GAS SUPPLIES RUNNING OUT * The executive of the waterside employers met the delegates of the Waterside Workers’ Federation in Wellington again on Saturday. The conference was held at the request of the federation, which had been in communication with, the various waterside unions during the week. An earlier conference was held (on the preceding Saturday) when the shipowners stated plainly their demand for assurances of peaceful working in. accordance with the agreement. Certain matters were discussed by the parties on Saturday. The employers of waterside labour did not depart from their original stand. The proceedings ■were not conclusive, and a further conference is to bo held to-day or to-mor-row. The general situation, in the meantime, remains unchanged. The official report of tha proceedings states merely that "no finality" was reached. The ships ■will remain idle until labour can be engaged on the terms laid down by the employers. The crews of eight small steamers laid up in Wellington were paid off on Saturday, in accordance with the decision already announced. About eighty men were affected. The Union Steam Ship Company has not' yet paid off its men. The seventeen ships lying in the stream require to maintain their full crews, and it is necessary also for them to keep steam up, so that their consumption of coal is an item in the heavy daily loss that the stoppage is causing. The waterside workers’ loss in wages will be fully -£lOOO a day this week if the stoppage continues.

The Wellington Gas Company has reduced t'he gas pressure, as most householders aro aware. The pressure is so low that several manufacturing firms have found it impossible to keep their plant, running, and have partially or wholly closed down. It was announced on Saturday that Messrs. R. Hannah and Co., boot manufacturers, had been compelled to put off 100 hands and would have to put off another hundred early this week if the situation did not improve. / Many efforts have been made to secure additional coal of suitable quality for the Gas Company, but so far without avail. The management states that the present supplies, including some coal secured from the Bailway Department, will suffice to keep the gasworks in operation until to-morrow night. There may be no gas at all on Wednesday, unless a connection can be established between the empty retorts at Miramar and the full colliers lying idle in the harbour. The officers of the Waterside Workers’ Federation, although they have been in conference with the employers, have not yet made any statement for the information of the public regarding the dispute. They had nothing to say on Saturday. During the week-end the list of idle steamers was added to by the arrival of the Tredepham with coal from Hampton Boads, consigned to the Government. Quite unexpectedly the Ruranga sailed last night from the ‘■team for Picton. The Moana and Moeraki are both due to-day from Sydney. It is reported that the West Camargo will commence work this morning. FLOUR SUPPLIES SHORT MUST BE REPLENISHED BY WEEKEND. "I have a good fortnight’s supply of flour yet," said a Wellington bread baker on Saturday to a Dominion reporter, "and as far as I know no bakers have enough flour to supply the full demands of their business for a longer period. But there are several of the smaller men who will run out before the end of the week unless their supplies are replenished. The conditions of the flour trade have made it impossible for anyone to accumulate big stockfe. If it was not the quantityrestriction imposed by the controlling authority, it was. the terms on which flour is now sold. Do you know that all bakers are required to pay for their flour within seven days of shipment—of shipment, not delivery, mind you? So that a man is sometimes only given three or four days in which to meet the bill. It uged to be thirty days. ' "Now, I put it to you, how long can the bakers go on selling their bread at thirty days’ credit or more whilst having to pay for the flour practically on a cash basis? I know, several of the Wellington bakers are having a rough spin, and it may be that the price of bread will -be advanced if conditions don’t ease up a bit. "As to the shortage—well, you can’t go on feeding a big city like Wellington long on stock. There will be trouble before next week-end over flour, and the Government will simply have to insist on employers and men agreeing to unload the flour that is in the harbour.” OVERTIME AfLYTTELTON By Telegraph.—Press Association. Lyttelton, March 5. A meeting of the Watersiders’ Disputes Committee was held at Lyttelton this morning. It was decided that! work should go ou continuously, including overtime, till Tuesday,’ when the committee will meet again. , Last night overtime was worked in all cases where required, and overtime, where required, was also worked this afternoon and evening. i