At the Waterfront

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 17, 30 June 1911, Page 12

At the Waterfront

By NAUTILUS. ("Nautilus" would be pleased to receive items of interest to Dominion Waterside Workers. Address: C/o Maoriland Worker, -.O. Box 727, Wellington.)

Waterside unions have a splendid opportunity to educate their members towards Socialism. There should not bo a waterside worker in N.Z. who is not a Socialist, because the very industry itself, the congestion of labor on the waterfront, should be proof sufficient of the failure of the capitalist system to provide a livelihood for tho ousted workers of all trades and callings who aro pushed down to tho waterside by the sheer force of improved methods of production.

Because men can produce twice as much in half the time as formerly they must needs go out on the wharf to earn a few coppers to buy back sufficient of their own products to allow them to live.

Every waterside worker should read '•Britain for the British" before he talks of limitation of numbers in the union. Surplus labor is an evil in present day society. Its cause is the proht systorn, its only cure is Socialism. Under Socialism a few extra men would be a help ; under Capitalism they are a drag. Do away with tho drag and get the help.

Patea Waterside Workers' Union lias decided to change its name to tho Patea Watersiders' and General Laborers' Union. An application will shortly be made to register under tho Trades Union Act. This will be the first waterside union to register under tho Trades Union Act for some time.

Wellington watersiders are moving. A committee of twelve has been set up to go into the system of distributing labor, to collect information from otner ports, to obtain statistical information of the total number of men employed and tho wages earned, in order to 'substitute the present unorganised system for a better one, if possible.

ployed ana tne wages eanieu, m wuei to 'substitute the present unorganised system for a better one, if possible. Mr. G. G. Farland, of Wellington, has written a pamphlet on the waterside industry, which he proposes to publish shortly. There is a movement on foot to.amaL'nmate the Tnnaru General Laborers' and the Wharf Laborers' Unions into one body. Industrial Unionism. is growing in the spud country. Eighty waterside workers at Trieste, Austria, lost their lives through a huge wave sweeping over the wharves and railway. Jtiignt of the Austrian-Lloyd vessels broke their moorings. A severe gale swept Lord Howe jl»: land. The roreshotres were washed, away. The s.s. Beilambi was compelled to seek shelter. Tho islanders report this as the heaviest gale for years. Wheat Jco Ward encircles the globe with his wireless girdle, waterside workers will not have to wait about so much. Tidings of date and time of arrival of vessels will be known so accurately that th.c waterside industry can be revolutionised into a permanent occupation. The International Shipping Federation is up in arms against the Whita Star Company for scabbing on the federation. The Star Company has granted the increases demanded by the seamen. Tho coal porters' strike at Southampton has been settled by the lumpers going back on the old terms. Harold Beauchamp, chairman of the Bank of New Zealand, predicts a bad winter. Waterside workers are advised to punch another hole in their belts, and to stand by foT reefing. Thorbjoirnson, a member of the Sydney Coal Lumpers' Union, states in aii seriousness that crimping was never so rife in ONow South Wales as at present. He asserted that men were bought and sold ltke sheep in Sydney, and offered to lay proof before the Trades and Labour Council, which he was address-

Mr. G. G. Farland, of Wellington, has written a pamphlet on the waterside industry, winch he proposes to publish shortly.

There is a movement on foot to _amalgamate the Timaru General Laborers' and tho Wharf Laborers' Unions into one body. Industrial Unionism is growing 111 the spud country.

When Joe Ward encircles the globe with his wireless girdle, waterside workers will not have to wait about so much. Tidings of date and time of arrival of vessels will be known so accurately that tho waterside industry can be revolutionised into a permanent occupation.

The International Shipping Federation is up in arms against the Whita Star Company for scabbing on tho -'ederation. The Star Company has granted the increases demanded by tho seamen.

Tho coal porters' strike at Southampton has been settled by the lumpers going back on the old terms.

Harold Beauchamp, chairman of tho Bank of New Zealand, predicts a bad winter. Waterside workers are advised to punch another hole in their belts, and to stand by foT reefing.

Thorbjoirnson, a meniber of the Syoney Coal Lumpers' Union, states in aii seriousness that crimping was never so rife in Now South Wales as at present. He asserted that men were bougnt and sold like sheep in Sydney, and offered to lay proof before the Trades and Labour Council, which he was addressing. The Council decided to examine the proof submitted .by Mr.T., in order to bring the matter before the Government.

The Patea Waterside Workers have taken a ballot to ascertain the feeling of members regarding the Arbitration Act. Eighty per cent, of the members voted in favour of cancellation. A notice to this effect has been sent to the Registrar.