Cement Cargoes.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 2, Issue 33, 20 October 1911, Page 4

Cement Cargoes.

WATERSIDE WORKEItS' DEMANDS

The Now Zealand Focleiaiion of Waterside Workers and the Wellington Waterside Workers' ir.nion have given notice to HiaiLufa'Cfcu.ivrKi ami shippers of Portland corneal arid -Hm-e that o;ii and after January 1 no-:b no cement will be handled by members of the Union u.!iio?'s onclosed in casks or paper-lined bags; alwo that all pliips' holds sha.Ji ho. thoroughly cleaned and fumigated before nieu begin work in thorn. Mr. Smis/h, spcreiury c>f the Union, stated to the ''Evening Post" that a long, notice was given in order tliat local nianuiaettsrors should have ample time to make. ]) reparation is, for putting cement and lime up in lined bags. As it was, tlu: handling of e-ueh cargo was very bad for the men wise bad to work in clouds of dusb fur hours breathing in the eciiae.iit or lituo, which was bad for the lungs. The vv-wk wr.s ruinous on the clothe.?, urn. Nj nuu-e was uh\zed of maiiufiiel-ui'er.s than wa.s obt-.vii'.f'il by the v/wkf'i:i 'in Au-.lia.lui, whore locally-mado tv-mont- vaul lime wy.s now done up in pir.per-liiu-d bugs. The- i;vported article eamo out, i.v cask©, and was not k-cv obj oc tun ; :'bl,\ us tlie casks wore j.»a.per-lii!.c , j. lv time, no doubt sufii aiLu:k';.i ;■..:-! bi-bh- th-g, Aiviericau pli : .?;to-t'. i.nd miperjihor?phates Wui'ld arrivo i , - j>;\.p.-r-iirK'd bags, but is would r.e-:.v.-,r;:ynly take, tiaie to bring tliis i:upz-c; e\'ii.ii ;!:'i.ur th.v or c>:p..j-L-v~ ; h;vl s- rj , their wnv cl-.-ji- t-i; ac»rw;i it. Tho Union it !. r - v,-.-l! to ho[\iv. with le.cal inr:»i ut'u■:■■ 11'. t^■• rs iirs!.. Tho of liOj];.s in b^'iiili .g oc:n:-ub, ii cause of pome dinVreii:.'•'! of opi.ll ion when it v.t.s prop;j3od ; h::;i on trial for some t-huo how, and, according to Mr. Smith, tliere are no complaints jis to leakage oi coinent liaudlcd with heoks. Wibh reg.-.rd to bh-c* fu-.Msij'g xmd fumigating of hokLi, Mr. Smith said the union had decided iliat the time Jiad come for an inipcovenicitl. in this direction. No one could imagine (unless he had done it) what working in a dirty ship's hold was like, after, say, the "discharge of a, cargo of bananas.

It \v.ti?i most essential iti the interests of the health mul comfort of the workers aiid all concerned that the ship's lioltte should be cleaned out before the men were asked to work in them. Mr. Smith thought this to be a reasonable request would bo looked at in a rea,soaablo lignt by shipowners. ; -