At the Waterfront.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 23, 11 August 1911, Page 4

At the Waterfront.

A combined attempt should be made by the Dominion waterside workers to go-t: : — (1) Into the N.Z. Federation of Labor (Keg.); -• : . (2) Public control b.y harbour boards over the whole waterside industry; (3) The extension of harbours regulations to cover all vessels, with administration by harbour boards' officials; (4) Parliamentary franchise for harbour board. You will thus control your own indue-' ■try. ' *-■ ; ' ' ■Mr. Hindmarsh is to be congratulated on his noble attempt to extend the operations of the Wellington Harbour Board over the whole industry. The issue was Public Control v. Private, Enterprise. Mr. Hindmarsh has not received sufficient backing from those who would benefit. The motion, which came up at the last meeting of the Board, was defeated by a large majority of plutocratic representatives, which included the crack opportunist politician, Bob Fletcher. The following officers have been elected for the Wellington; W.W.L.V.: President, F.. Curtice ; vice-president, W. Young; treasurer, Tom King; secretary, Tom Smith: assist/ - secretary, G. G. Farland. The Empress of China, a steel twinscrew steamer of 5947 tons, fitted with wireless telegraph apparatus, went ashore on the Aw a peninsula, Japan.. - This place is close to the spot where the Dakota wa>s lost. The Japs, sent a couple of cruisers to her assistance, and 185 passengers were saved. The secretary of the W.W.Ik concludes his annual report as follows:— > "There is at the present time a period of unrest amongst some of the water- . side unions of the Dominion, and is no reason to suppose' that we shall not have the problem of Industrial Unionism before us. Members are advised to keep a clear mind on the subject and to place before anything else the welfare of their Union." We are pleased to note that the. Government has appointed, an additional surveyor to superintend the Harbours Regulations, and other duties o£ the Marine Department. Mr. Angiut,' of the U.S-S. Co. fleet, has secured the position. ■•-.-■• A big effort was made to shift the assistant, secretary of the Wellington. TJniio.ii, Mr G. G. Farland, but notwith- . standing four candidates being in the field, he secured an absolute majority of ; votes over all. The revolutionary socialist issue was raised, and a strong fight 'put up by the reactionaries. Auckland writes that they will stand no deviation from the lastcconferee© resolution regarding the meeting place of conference, which'was set down fer Auckland. - Auckland has selected, five delegates to represent the Union at conference;, wages to be paid at 12s 6d per day and exes. Wellington Wharf Laborers' Union has shown a steady decrease in membership owing to the improved stnte of the outside labor market, states ■til** secretary'(Mr. T. Smith), in"his atumal report, 1320 being the present strength, v against .1470 in 1910. It is cons Mc reel that about 1150 of this number seek employment daily; Four hundred and , irnetv-eight new members joined the Union last year. £1145 Las "been gained' in compensation to members meeting with accidents, besides £1000 in _ settlements, by the Union's solicitors (O'Regan and Dix). ' 'There are bright prospects for a good summer season on the Dominion waterfront, judging .by the following report from London . files: —-Great difficulty is being experienced in obtaining room for cargo in the steamers for New Zealand, this being particularly marked in the case of the cargo steamer Waiwera, which through unforeseen circumstances, had to take the direct Launceston (Tasmania) berth, as well as the ordinary itinerary, to Auckland Wellington and Bluff. Hundreds or, tons of stuff were refused a week be-' fore she sailed, and but for this an/ actual shutfoxit of over 1000 tons would have taken place instead of some 200' tons, which really, happened. The. Shaw-Savill steamers for New Zealand, • via Hobartj have had more goods sent/ to them than could be dealt with. By' both the mail and cargo steamers from London short shipments were much int evidence, the Tongariro, Of May 15th (she having been delayed three days for repairs) and the Gorinthie, of May 25th, having been full to overflowing; although the latter had an exceedingly fine cargo of nearly 9000' tons. From present indications shippers are in for an exceedingly" busy time during the latter half of the year, for wherever one looks room is being booked Uβ months ahead.