At the Waterfront

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 80, 20 September 1912, Page 7

At the Waterfront

By "NAUTILUS. ,

CANCWAY BREAKING CASE.

SEAMEN AND CLEARANCES

PACIFIC UNIONISM.

NEWSY BITS

A case of considerable interest to waterside workers waa heard in the Magistrate's Court, Wellington, on September 7. The Strathroy kerosene tramp was responsible for injuries received by two watersiders— J. McKinnon and C. G. Dawson—owing to a gangway breaking whilst they were coming ashore. The magistrate decided, after hearing lengthy evidence, that a man should have been placed on watch to warn those going on and off of the state of affairs. Defendant nvust there--1 fore be held to have been negligent The amount of damages in the case of McKinnon was reduced by £4, and judgment was given for £22 2s. In the case of Dawson the full amount claimed was allowed—£l3 Is. * « * Wellington Wnterside Union has been compelled to refuse all clearances from the Seamen's Union, owing to the harsh stipulations of that union compelling unfortunate seamen—who, unfortunately, do not get the opportunity of attending meetings—to give a week's notice of their intention to transfer from one union to the other. The W.W.W.U. takes transfers from any union in any country, even , if an interpreter is required to decipher them, but this can only continue so long as reciprocity prevails. When petty restrictions are placed in the road of free interchange of membership tho union which builds the wall must suffer. * • * ''• Fagan and Armstrong addressed a large meeting of the Wellington Waterside Workers' Union during their stay at the latter place. Fagan dealt with the merits of the Reelton dispute and Armstrong gave a. general resume of the Waihi trouble. Fagan stressed the necessity of continued support to these unions until the end. Both speakers were accorded an excellent hearing, and a vote of thanks at the close of their addresses. The wharfies want to hear more of Fagan. m 1* Z Wellington Watersiders decided by resolution to nominate tho present executive officers of the Federation, but owing to the nominations being closed some*what unexpectedly the opportunity did nod offer. The general opinion seems to be that no election should take place while the present strikes continue, 1 but rather to postpone the election until these matters are settled, and then to judge the offioere on the conduct of the

The spirit of trades unionism has extended far out into the Pacific, even to the island of Nukualofa. Some of the passengers who arrived at Auckland by the island steamer Atua on Friday morning informed a representative of the "Star" that the native waterside workers there have formed a union with the object of demanding substantial increases in pay. They ask for 6s. per day ie: working time between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m., with 3s. per hour overtime and a retaining allowance of 23. per day, together with food, when not working. Formerly the allowance for overtime was 6d., but it rose by degrees to Is. The union is being organised by a native boy, who appears to have gained knowledge in the ways of unionism during occasional trips with r.ative crews to Auckland. * • • "Reynolds' Newspaper - 1 hits the nail on the head: "Who is going to blame the transporters," cays the paper, referring to the recent strike. ''It doe 9 not lie in the mouth of either doctors or barristers to do so. Each of them belongs to a professional union which boycotts any individual who does not belong to iti The doctors are even now organising a national strike because Lloyd George offered them under the Insurance Act nearly double the rates nhich they were previously getting in many cases from the friendly societies." • • » Up to September 7 Wellington Watersiders experienced the slackest winter for many years. The strike at Home seriously delayed n largo number of vessels, showing how world-wide the effect of a strike really is. The '-common cause" wo experienced was mutual want.