CONTRACT SYSTEM

Taranaki Daily News, 28 September 1940, Page 6

CONTRACT SYSTEM

EXPLANATION OF SCHEME Though it was only brought into operations yesterday, the waterfront contract system is understood to have worked with every satisfaction at the port of New Plymouth. Cargo is said to have been handled smoothly and with great expedition. The system is one under which the shipping companies make a contract for the work of loading or discharging a ship when she arrives in port. There are different rates for diflerent classes of cargo, such as beef quarters and other beef cargo. mutton, cheese and butter. These are all taken into account and the shipping company concerned makes | a contract with, the Waterfront Control Commission for the loading of the cargo at a fixed price coverlng the whole of the cargo to be handled. The control of the waterfront bureau, through which the men will be engaged in the ordinary way, and the payment of the men, will be taken over by the Waterfront Control Commission. While the waterside workers are engaged in the work of loading a ship they will be paid the ordinary hourly rate of pay for the various classes of work. as prescribed under their award. This will be in the nature of a "progress" payment under the contract. When the loading is completed and all the accounts squared up, the balance remaining of the contract money— the difference between ^what the men were paid in their hourly rate of remuneration and the price of the contract — will be distributed by way of a bonus. among all the men who worked on the ship. The payment of the bonus, of course. will not be possible at the same time as the men draw their ordinary hourly rate of pay, for the additional payment cannot be made until the whole cost of the loading or discharging of the ship is made up and set against the contract price to ascertain the balance to be paid out. , It is expected, both among the men who work on the waterfront and by the shipping companies, that the sj'stem will have advantages to both sides. One of the important aspects of the system is that it is expected to result in the more expeditious handling of cargoes and the quicker dispatch of ships, a matter of particular importance in the present emergency circumstances.