AUCKLAND WHARF WORK

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 211, 22 September 1937, Page 9

AUCKLAND WHARF WORK

— Press Association.)

Inquiry Commission May Be §et Up MINISTER MEETS MEN

(By Telegraph-

AUCKLAND, Last Night. ! A prortiise that, ■n-hcn he returned to Wellington, he wonld suggest the setting up of a Commission to inquire into the metljods of handling cargoes on t'he Auckland waterfrout was.made by the Acting-Minister of Labour and Employ ment, Hon. P. C. "Webb, to officials ot the Auckland Waterside Workers' . Union. He made thc promise in re> sponse to allegations by the men thaf mueh of the inefficieney was traceable to other sources, Mr. Webb stated after the meeting that he was convinced the men. would be able to establish a good case. Dur* ing his talk with the men he told them much of the criticism levelled against them by members of the Opposition related to the slow rate of working cargoes. He appealed to the men foi co-operation and said that officials oi the unions had assured him that, ii they knew of any instances of slackening, they would be dealt with. "I told them the Government expected the men to do a decent day's work and not to give the people an opportunity of accusing them of slacking," said Mr. Webb. "Those who do slack are just imposing upon the Labour Government in office, and I told them so. The Government does not expect them to work like slaves, but it does expect them to give xeasonably good service." The Minister added that with the organisation and privileges that the Waterside Workers' Union enjoyed it behoved its members to keep under control any section not pulling its weight. "I was informed by officers of the organisation that much of the extra cost entailed in the loading and unloading of ships was due to the system on the waterfront," concluded the Minister. "The men 'a representatives told me they considered it unfair to heap all the criticism on to the men when other interests were to blame", and they havo asked for a Commission to look into the wholo working of the /'^kland (waterf ront. "