The Te Puke Times TUESDAY, DEC 2. WATERSIDE LABOR.

Te Puke Times, Volume II, Issue II, 2 December 1913, Page 2

The Te Puke Times TUESDAY, DEC 2. WATERSIDE LABOR.

Har&or Boards throughout the Dominion appear to ngard with favor the Premier's suggestion that an endeavor be made to formulate a scheme whereby waterside workers may be assured more permanencyof position ar,d remuneration than has hitherto been the case. There should be be no great difficulty in an arrangement being come to which should not only prove satisfactory to the workers, but should have the effect of preventing a repetition of the deplorable strikes, which have lately been experienced. Mr Massey's proposals are as follows

That in cach of, the major ports there be formed a standing committee of commission of nine members representing the following interests: Harbor Board 1, ocean-going vessels 1, intercolonial vessels 1, coastal vessels 1, coal-workers 1, Railway. Department 1, waterside labourers 2, and a chairman representing the Government (Stipendiary Magistrate) 1, total 9.

The commission should determine the total amount of casual labor required from month to month during each season of the year, and employ the number of hands at a minimum weekly wage; waterside labor to be engaged from the commission, and no outaide casual'labor to be engaged by any person until the panel is exhausted.

The commission should inquire into and adjudicate on all complaints against laborers and by labourers, and should have ample powers to keep lists purged of of undesirables.

The Commissioner should be the employer, and pay the men, recovering the payments from the persons to whom the labor is supplied, together with an additional percentage to cover costs of management and to provide the payment of the guaranteed minimum wage if not earned. To provide for national provi : dent funds and accidcnts. One of the objections (the memorandum continued) that has been raised to the introduction of such a scheme is that the Wellington employers are committed to the new Waterside Workers' Union for three years

on the existing conditions of working and wages. This objecjection is of small moment so long as the number of men in the union is less than the minimum number of workers required in any portion of the year. • The great object to be gained by the proposed commission would be to employ the men to best advantage with the least loss of time, thereby ensuring a better and more satisfactory class of worker.

Provision could be made for the employers to be insured against accident either by or. through the Commissioner, and for granting to the men the benefits of the National Provident scheme.

An overcoat has been left at this office. Owner can have same on paying cost of advertisement. At the meeting of the County Council last week Mr H. Southey was re-elected Chairman for the ensuing year. 1 Mr A. J. Malony has been appointed registrar of dogs for the Te Puke and Maketu ridings for the coming year. • • Mr F. Bostock advertises for sale a Deering mowing machine, with all appliances. The machine is practically new, having mown only two paddocks. We remind members of the Chamber of Commerce of the meeting to be held in the Mission Hall to-morrow evening. A full attendance is requested. • An advertiser has for sale a Werfcheim sewing machine, a Dover stove, two iron chimneys, a number of fowls, etc. Address at Times Office. A large concrete trough is to placed by the County Council on the Te Matai road, at the spot formerly occupied by a wooden trough. Messrs A. S. Paterson and Co., of Auckland, notify sheep-farm-ers and cattle-raisers that they are purchasers of all kinds of fat stock Messrs Paterson and Co. pay the highest price, and make prompt settlements. See their advertisement on front page.

At the meeting of the Harbor Board last week, Mr Stewart gave notice of motion i for next meeting :-"That clause 118 of the by-laws be amended with a view of imposing an export duty of threepence per 100 ft on all timber exported."

A letter from the. Hon W. Fraser, Minister for Public Works was read at the meeting of the Tauranga County Council last week with reference to the Waiari bridge; The Minister stated that plans for a new structure have been prepared, and he hoped shortly to be in a position to call for tenders for its erection.

A young Maori witness in a case at a recent sitting of the Magistrate's Court at Port Awanui, in response to the preliminary question from the bench, "What are you?" replied, per medium of the interpreter, "I am sometimes a gentleman, and sometimes I do some work," a statement that for some seconds caused mudi amusement, and completely broke up the serenity of the court.

The High Commissioner has advised the Department of Immigration that the first batch of selected farm boys, under the charge of Sergeant-Major Cooper, has embarked from Liverpool in the'steamer Ayrshire. The boys are due to arrive in the Dominion at Auckland about January 19. Applications for the services of these boys are now being received by the Department.

The New Zealand Loan and Mercantile Company notify that they will hold a'clearing sale at Katikati, on behalf of Mrs.S. M. Macmillan, on Saturday, December 13th, at 1 p.m. The stock consists of three medium draft farm horses, pony, 5 h.p. portable oil engine, chaffcutter, disc, tine, and chain harrows, potato digger, d.f. plough, drill, mower, waggon, double buggy, etc.

The Holstein herd at the Weraroa State Farm now consists of just over 100. head of purebred stock. The milking Shorthorns of the Australian type give every nromise of providing a most valuable addition to the dairy herds of the Dominion. The. milking herd is being added to by the addition of selected Shorthorn cows of a definite dairy type, and it is believed that they are of such breeding that they .will claim registration in the herd-book of the newly-formed Milking' Shorthorn Association.

Mr W. J. Chynoweth, agent • for Messrs Dimock and Co., notifies that he will ship pig*r at Canaan Landing to-morrow, Wed- y nesday. ■ We remind horse-owners that ;j nominations for the various events to be run at. the annual race meeting of the Paengaroa Hack Club, on New Year's Day, close with the Secretary on Sat- , urday next, December 6. A sheaf-tossing competition at the Wanganui. Show attracted considerable attention. The competition produced a tie, I. Jefferson (Marion) and F. McCullocn (Wanganui) each tossing the sheaf to a height of 25ft 7iri. A. Jefferson (Marton) was third, being 6in lower. Tenders are invited by the t • Paengaroa Domain Board for the lease of the Domain, comprising ( five acres, for a term of one year. Tenders will be received' by the Chairman, Mr I. Vercoe, up till ■December 27th. ; y The Farmers' Auctioneering 3 Company advertise 350 head of ' - of cattle for their Te Puke sale on the 16th inst; The entries embrace 100 well-bred two year , steers and 50 mixed cattle from Whakatane, 30 fat and forward cows, 30 2 and Byr empty heifers, and 100 strong yearlings, also 150 fat and forward wethers.

Manola, whose bull calf realised , 120 guineas at the recent sale of the Weraroa Holstein calves, has' shown an excellent return for. money invested. She was pur-; chased from Mr J. C. N. Grigg, ■ of Longbeach, in August, 1909. for £12. Since then Re sales of her progeny have realised £546, 13s, and she has produced since becoming the property- of the Department 67,6401b of milk and. 2,134.251b of butter-fat, an aver-v age per year of 16,9101b of milk I and 533.561b of butter-fat. ; In the Magistrate's Court at Wellington on Friday, a tram conductor named Herlihy was fined £3, in default fourteen days's imprisonment on' each. of two charges of using insulting language in a tramcar and assaulting a passenger. The evidence showed . that accused was overheard by a passenger! relating how he had refused a " scab " a passage on his car. The passenger remon- , strated with the conductor,--who retorted that if the second passenger did not mind his own business he would be treated in ' the same- manner. Further; words passed, an v d accused seized hold of the passenger.;■ Another man • on thenar intervened, and persuaded the conductor to desist. As the , passenger was leaving the car, the conductor used insulting language. J V * '•■'v*'- %

A very fine specimen of 'a , coachpainter's work is to be. seen at Messrs' Washer andWrights's establishment. ; ThisVfirni: was ' recently entrusted by Mr A' Montgomery with the renovation ofv < his motor-car, and the job was' ■' handed over to Mr W.'Benn, who - • has just completed it in a manner, - that cannot but give satisfaction ( to the owner. The cat presents a very handsome appearance. ■ .. The body has been ; painted in two shades of grey, silver and JVench, lined with pink and white, and beaded with light and dark chocolate. ; The monogram, with laurel crest,' is in gold and mauve, picked out with white, whilst the ,' inner portion of the car has been done with black lacquer;' The - design throughout is neat and artistic, and the work as a whole is a good advertisement'of Mr Benn's abilities in this particular line. : - ■