WORK ON THE WHARVES.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 March 1922, Page 5

WORK ON THE WHARVES.

STANDARD IN WELLINGTON. LABOR-SAVING DEVICES. Wellington, March 20. On the question of labor on the Wellington waterfront Mr. J. D. Harkness had some interesting remarks to make in his address at the annual meeting today. “The general opinioA" said Mr. Harkness, “expressed in regard to the standard of work done on the Wellington waterfront during the last 12 months is that it is as high as any previous standards and equals the best results of 1914-15. Now statistics on this point do not corroborate any such opinion. Twelve months ago I took the opportunity of directing your attention to an analysis of the records of the actual work done, and it was not up to the standard that it should be. While it has to be admitted that there is a distinct improvement this year, and credit must be given, even then the advance is less than it should have been.

“Let us examine what the rate of progress has been compared with the results of 12 months ago. So far as the board’s casual, employees are concerned ;the figures show an increase of slightly over 11 per cent, of tonnage bandied per each worker per hour. The figures are as follows:—Tonnage per man per hour, 1919-20. .880 of a ton; 1920-21, .977 of a ton. “How does last year’s work compare with that done in 1914-15 It is still 12 per cent. less. The recovery made has hardly reached halfway even now. “Further to this aspect of the question there is another viewpoint, which is frequently overlooked. During the last two or three years the board’s conveniences and equipments on the wharves and in its various stores have been improved, the transport of goods from stores to ship has been improved by the adoption of new iqethods of transport, by the use of electric and gasoline tractors making for speed and efficiency, and machinery has been installed in all stores to promote the expeditious .handling of cargo. Naturally the question arises, as to how far and to what extent have the board’s equipment, transport and labor-saving appliances been responsible for the apparent improvement in labor. No doubt better results have been attained, but has that been secured by extra exertion on the part of the worker or is it due principally to the board’s efforts to promote efficiency and quicker despatch?”