WATERFRONT WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 5 November 1938, Page 5

WATERFRONT WORK

INQUIRY BY COMMISSION ADVOCATED ASSOCIATED CHAMBERS REMIT. HANDICAPS ON NEW ZEALAND TRADE. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. November 4. The setting up of a Royal Commission with power to secure evidence compulsorily from all parties concerned was urged in a remit dealing with waterfront labour which was placed before the'annual conference of the Association Chambers of Commerce of New Zealand by Mr J. A. C. Allum on behalf of the Auckland chamber. The remit also stated that the conference viewed with dismay the policy of drift which obtained concerning unsatisfactory conditions on the waterfront. '■Recently," said Mr Allum, "the Auckland Chamber has had occasion to investigate numerous complaints of overcarriage of urgently-needed goods on through steamers in Auckland and of the failure of vessels on a tight schedule to accept goods for Auckland for fear of inability to unload in the time available. One shipping company actually does not carry goods between Australian ports and Auckland. The present slate of affairs results in high costs and handicaps New Zealand merchants in their endeavours to obtain Pacific Islands trade.

“Official reasons given for the fact that freight rates from Sydney to Suva and Auckland to Suva are identical, although the distance from Sydney is almost double, mainly rest on the long time taken to work cargo in Auckland compared with the position in Sydney. Importers certainly suffer a good deal of trouble and annoyance, but high costs are a burden on the whole community and the loss of the island trade means loss of work for those engaged in factories and in distribution.

“By some the waterside workers are blamed for the existing conditions,” said Mr Allum, “and these workers retort with the claim that inadequate equipment, and inefficiency on the part of employers are the causes. The Auckland chamber is not in possession of the evidence necessary to enable a pudgment to be formed, and it is hard to get information because would-be informants are afraid of victimisation.”

Mr M. G. C. McCaul (Wellington) said the executive of the Associated Chambers was greatly concerned with the conditions on the waterfront. A majority of the executive felt that a Royal Commission was only way in which the matter could be handled.The remit was adopted unanimously.

AUCKLAND HOLD UP

NO CHANGE IN POSITION. STATEMENTS BY EMPLOYERS & UNION. AUCKLAND, November 4. After a conference lasting 2J hours between representatives of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union and the Port of Auckland -Shipping and Stevedores’ Association this afternoon, the position regarding the dispute, which arose over the working of two ships,on Thursday, remained unchanged. Representatives of the stevedores’ association adhered to the attitude that the terms of the award should be adhered to pending a sitting of the disputes committee, and the position will be put to the men tomorrow by their delegates who attended today’s conference.

“The employers are prepared, when the Waiana and Kaimiro men turn to, to held immediately a disputes committee meeting to deal with the dispute,” said Captain R. S. Lewis, chairman of the stevedores' association, after the conference. “Members on the employers’ side will be taken from our management committee, which will mean that the watersiders will be able to meet the local heads of shipping companies. There will be three of them. In the meantime we will’ await the decision of the men when they have the position outlined to them by the members of their executive who were present at the conference.” “There will be a meeting of the men at 8 o’clock tomorrow morning and the position as outlined by the employers’ representatives will be put to them,” said Mr R. G. Jones, president of the waterside workers’ union. “We still maintain that the employers have not kept to the agreement because men have been down there today ready and willing to work on other ships and they have been refused that right. The employers have not confined the dispute to the two ships Kaimiro and Waiana. If they like they can make the dispute local to those two ships and carry on the work of the port. If incoming ships are not worked it will be a matter entirely for the employers because the men will be there ready and willing to do the work.”

The matter under dispute was for the men to decide, added Mr Jones. The executive had not instructed the men to cease work, but had done everything possible to bring about a satisfactory solution. The employers had stated they would not discuss the. matter further until the two vessels concerned were working. Yet, on the other hand, the employers were refusing to man any other ships, thereby also breaking the agreement. “This is the outcome of discontent that has been brewing for some time," said Mr Jones. “The men consider they have not been fairly treated in some matters, but there is still no reason why the present trouble should not be confined to the two vessels concerned." Should the men decide not to return to work after tomorrow’s meeting and the employers adhere to their attitude some of the vessels arriving over the weekend will be affected. The port is particularly quiet at present, and the only vessels seriously affected are the two concerned in the dispute. The City of Glasgow and the Mataroa will arrive tomorrow to complete loading for overseas ports. The Trienza is due on Sunday night with cargo from Nauru Island.