THE WATERSIDERS.

Taranaki Daily News, 30 March 1922, Page 5

THE WATERSIDERS.

DISPUTE BEFORE THE COURT. THE EVIDENCE CONTINUED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, March 29. . In the watersiders’ dispute in the Arbitration Court Captain Walton said the reduced output of coal was certainly due to the go-slow policy, not to the gear. On the question of the rotary system of employment, Mr. Roberts said it had been working satisfactorily in Seattle for 30 years, also in Liverpool. Sydney was seeking the restoration of this system. He asked permission to put in a standard authority on waterside employment in the United States. During the hearing Mr. Bruce, for the union, said to Captain Walton, wharf superintendent for the Union Company: “You have said that I threatened to stick up a ship if you did not agree to our terms. When was that?” Witness replied: “You have said that so many times.” Mr. Bruce: “Have you not told me you would stick the whole lot up?” Witness: “Yes, I told you if you went on like you were doing the employers were prepared to stick up the whole lot.” Pressed as to instances, witness mentioned the Kaituna, Cahn and Kaitanfiata. The exchange between the parties at this stage became so acrimonious that the president of the court intervened. Later a remark by Mr. Smith that the union officials thought it too risky to go into the box brought Mr. Roberts to his feet in vehement protest. He was not afraid to go into the box anywhere. He complained that the employers’ representatives were trying to force the inference that the union officials were a section of desperadoes. The president of the court remarked that he would have stopped Mr. Smith if he had thought the statement was meant seriously. Evidence was then continued.

FURTHER EVIDENCE.

Wellington, Last Night. Other evidence before the Arbitration Court to-day, in connection with the waterside labor case, was that travelling time between the suburbs and wharves was not fairly used. The present system of labor caused a good deal of overlapping. Stop-work meetings should be held in one month in the daytime and the next at night, to give the employer a fair thing. As to the wet weather clause, it was stated that the men knocked off at the slightest excuse as regards unfavorable weather. Regarding the supervision of the men, a good deal depended on how the watersiders were handled. If they were handled well they would work well. As to personal * supervision, Mr. Roberts, for the Federation, maintained that where there was personal supervision no difficulties arose. The sitting was adjourned until tomorrow.