NORTHUMBERLAND LOADS

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 113, 10 February 1928, Page 10

NORTHUMBERLAND LOADS

WATERSIDERS ACCEPT ENGAGEMENT It was a matter of concern to ’ the Owners of the steamer Northumberland, and the waterside workers, whether the vessel, which arrived at Wellington yesterday morning from Napier, where there has been labour trouble, would be worked by the local watersiders. It was gathered by a Dominion reporter that a meeting of the members of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union, who were awaiting work, was held at 12.50 p.m. yesterday, at the invitation of the secretary, Mr. J. Johnson. About 200 men were present. Mr. Johnson, addressing the meeting, stated that the trouble had taken place in. Napier, while the vessel was loading. As far as he, Messrs. J. Roberts (secretary of the Waterside Federation), and L. Glover (president of the union) were concerned, the only information they had regarding the dispute at Napier was what they had gleaned from the Press. It appeared that the dispute was over a matter of extra payment to three watersiders at Napier. Messrs. Roberts, Glover, and he considered that no good purpose could be served for the Waterside Federation, the Wellington union, and. the Napier union, by refusing to load the ship at Wellington, as in their opinion the matter of the extra payment could be dealt with by the local disputes committee at Napier, and most likely the three men would be .granted their claim. Apparently the majority of the members accepted Mr. Johnson’s advice, for when the stevedore foreman got on the “stool” to call for labour there was a good muster of applicants for the job, although a few discontents held aloof and gave vent to hostile criticism amongst themselves. The Northumberland is now fixed to leave Wellington on Monday for Napier to complete loading for London and West Coast ports of Great Britain WORK AT A STANDSTILL AT NAPIER. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Napier, February 9. Work on the Napier waterfront was at a standstill to-day, and the Kaitangata left for Wellington without completing discharge. The men propose to take a secret ballot to-morrow on the question whether or not to return to work. The employers are determined not to give way and will employ free labour if necessary.