WELLINGTON TOPICS.

Hokitika Guardian, 18 February 1921, Page 1

WELLINGTON TOPICS.

THE WATERFRONT

CONDITIONS STILL UNSATISFACTORY. (Our Special Correspondent). . WELLINGTON, February 10.

' The conditions on the waterfront are still unsatisfactory. Tire reply of tiro watersiders’ union to the shipowner’s demand that normal operations should ; be resumed within forty-eight hours 1 was to the effect that the resfusal ter work overtime was a personal matter between the men immediately concerned and the employers. This was regarded by the shipowners as an evasion of the point at issue and they let it be understood they were not to be turned from their purpose by mere quibbles. As a result, ii may be assumed, overtime was worked on Monday and again yesterday. Rut the shipowners arc not going to accept this grudging retreat from an untenable position as I a settlement of the dispute. Tliev are insisting upon a definite agreement and upon the nearest possible approach to a guarantee for its observance. If needs be they will lay up their vessels for a time or employ them elsewhere. The constant pin-pricking of the last few ■ years has exhausted their patience. the coal dispute. | Meanwhile the coal dispute appears to be moving slowly towards what everyone hopes will proVc ah amicable settlement. The Kaitangnta men have resumed work and the committee that is to adjudicate upon the alleged ease of victimisation at Blackball will sit host week. The miners’ representatives rtre confident of being able to satisfy the committee that in th e exchange of language between the deputy and the trucker one was just as culpable as the other, but if they should fail to do this probably a very severe strain would bo placed upon the millers’ coiiciliatOfy intentions. Both the watersiders and the miners admit their ultimate eon! is nationalisation -nationalisation of the wharves and of the mines—but none of them seems to hare studied this panacea for industrial strife closely i uoiigh to be ready with any practical s •heme for its application. Mr Massey ha" not yet progressed far enough along the road to socialism to give them a lead.

THE PRIME MINISTER AT CHRISTCHURCH. His critics there have no fault to find .with the note of optimism Mr Massey struck in his speech at Christchurch on Monday night. “If is just tlic note we all ought to be# striking, and striking again and again,”, a prominent businessman said to-day. "Our difficulties are inert' than half overdone when we face them with a smile cud Mr Massey is setting us a good example. But it is no use talking optimism unless we are acting it as well. Holding un our heads and blowing out our chests are only parts of the job. We have been doing these parts uneommonlv well, hut 11 seems to me vie have been neglecting some of the others sadly. We have been sticking to th,. same old grooves, the same old methods, tlie same old self conceits. The Government is optimistic enough and lion, si enough, but it has neither imagination nor initiative, and so we wallow along in the traditional ineffective way.. Thank God, we have a wonderful little country!” So'far this is the tmkitldest cdnplaint Hie Reform demonstration has provoked. CTVIT; SERVICE COMMISSION. The “Post” as might be expected with its paternal concern for the welfare of the civil servants of the capital city, does not look kindly upon the proposal to set up an independent commission to poke its unsympathetic nose into the affairs of its proteges. "If the Seivice is wasteful and inefficent,” it asks, "is it not the duty of the permanent | commissioners to recommend changes’ If the Government believes the commissioners incapable of undertaking this task, should il not commence by appointing commissioners who will do the work satisfactorily?” Of course it is the duty of the permanent commissioners to recommend changes, and of course it is the duty of the Government to see the commissioners are capable of performing this task, but unfortunately the system of commissioner control' has fallen into disrepute and Hip service notoriously become wasteful i and inefficient. Hence the demand for I an independent investigation.