“BLACK AS HELL"

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1940, Page 5

“BLACK AS HELL"

ACTION OF ORGANISED MINORITY

IN AUCKLAND WATERFRONT DISPUTE. HARBOUR BOARD CHAIRMAN SPEAKS OUT. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 8. In annoiiiieing tonight I hat if the shipping dispute is not settled by Monday morning I lie Auckland .Harbour Board will exercise its powers by calling for voluntary labour Io work the vessels, the chairman of Ihe board, Mr W. B. Darlow, attributed the present situation in Auckland Io llm deliberate actions of a minority of waterside workers to prevent produce going overseas.

“I have been busy during the past two days endeavouring to get to the bottom of the dispute on our- waterfront,” said Mi Darlow. “At first I was under the impression that Ihe cause of the trouble was the delay the Waterside Workers’ Union had experienced in having its award dealt with by the Court of Arbitration. If such had been the case I would have considered the actions of the watersiders, especially at such a critical time as this, as being extremely ill advised, but the situation, to my mind, would not have been wholly black. “My investigations, however, reveal something that I am ashamed to admit. I was informed that the delay of the Court of Arbitration in hearing the dispute was only a pretext and that the real object of an organised minority of our watersiders was to ‘torpedo’ our effort in getting our produce overseas. The position to me appeared as black as hell.

“I fully realise the seriousness of this statement,” continued Mr Darlow, “and it is not made with the object of discrediting the whole body of waterside workers, many of whom, I am proud to say, are my personal friends, but I do believe that this is a case of an organised minority exercising its will on a disorganised majority. “I would stoutly deny that the bulk cf our waterside workers would knowingly do anything to injure the efforts of this country in its endeavour to bring this war to a successful conclusion. Many of our watersiders and their sons are with the fighting forces overseas, and others are in camp. As individuals they have given most generously to funds for furthering our war efforts. Surely they must realise that their combined actions are going tn have the effect of playing into the hands of the enemies of this country. “It is needless for me to say that our produce is most urgently required overseas The Auckland Harbour Board has been urged to give preference to ships carrying our produce, and we have done so. I trust I shall never lend my influence to prevent workers of this country from obtaining the best conditions that the industry can afford to give them, but I certainly am not going to stand by and see our country betrayed. Many may say it is not their intention to embarrass our Empire, but I would point out that their actions are having that effect. “It is useless for us to send soldiers overseas unless we are prepared to see that they are fed,” said Mr Darlow. “If we fail in that respect, then we will rightly be called traitors. Enemy countries are in the habit of using traitors, but even Germans detest them. However, let it not be said that we failed when our efforts were most urgently needed. “I intend to use all my efforts over the weekend to induce the watersiders to see the situation in all its seriousness, and 1 have little doubt that they will abandon the slowing down methods of the past few days. “Next week we are going to see ships lying in the stream waiting for berthage accommodation, and if our watersiders persist in not working these vessels, then the harbour board will be reluctantly compelled to call for volunteers to undertake the job,” concluded Mr Darlow. “I sincerely trust this course will be unnecessary, but, if it is, the people of Auckland can rest assured that overseas ships will be loaded." NEW DEVELOPMENTS GOVERNMENT MESSAGE TO UNION. THREAT OF DEREGISTRATION. AUCKLAND, March 8. A message from the Government, asking the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers' Union to show reason why it should not be deregistered and dismissal by employers of all men who declined overtime work were features of the situation on the Auckland waterfront today. Since Wednesday the union has refused to work overtime till its claims for a new award covering waterfront conditions in New Zealand are met.

Apparently acting on instructions received from the headquarters of the shipping companies in Wellington, employers dismissed men who refused overtime work tonight, when the eustimary call was made about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. About 1000 men were working on vessels today, and a large majority of those on ships which normally would have worked overtime tonight, were put ofT work. Following the provisions controlling the Auckland Waterside Labour Bureau, a call for labour will be made in the morning, discs being exhibited to all men except those dismissed. If work is refused the entire union will have failed to comply with award conditions, according to the claim of the employers, who hold that, in this event, the next move must come from the Government. A strong indication of the Government’s intentions was given late this afternoon, when the union was asked to give reasons why it should not be deregistered. This action, together with that of the employers, will be discussed at a special stopwork meeting of the union which on Wednesday was fairly unanimous in its decision.

; CHAOS MUST END DECLARATION BY MINISTER * OF LABOUR. I ■ CRITICISM OF AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. The determination of the Government to govern and to protect the intersts and rights of the people was emphasised by the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, when referring in an interview last evening to the situation on the waterfront. He criticised the attitude adopted by the Auckland waterside workers and said the Government hoped that common sense would soon prevail. The situation will be further discussed by Cabinet today, after the return to Wellington of the Deputy-Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, by aeroplane from the South Island. Since the present trouble occurred, Mr. Webb has been in daily telephonic communication with Mr. Fraser, who has been away from Wellington since Monday on a recruiting campaign, and kept him advised of all developments. When asked if there had been any new developments in the waterfront situation so far as the Government was concerned, Mr, Webb said that Cabinet had given much consideration to this question, but that there was nothing to add to his previous announcement on behalf of the Government to the effect that it was determined that the present

chaos that existed on the waterfront would have to stop. A more orderly and planned system of work had to be evolved and the production of this country must no longer be impeded on any account by any section or sections

of employers or workers, specially dur- • ing the war crisis. ■ “The Auckland branch is definitely acting unconstitutionally with its own federation and likewise with the New Zealand Federation of Labour, as both bodies should be the mouthpiece of the dififerent branches comprising their organisations. The Government hopes that common sense will soon prevail, and that the Auckland watersiders will remain true to the real principles of unionism and not revert to Tafferty rule’ methods.'’ Replying to a question as to what the next step was likely to be, Mr. Webb said: “That will be a matter for Cabinet to decide tomorrow. One thing is certain, and that is that there can only be one Government in New Zealand at a time. The Labour Government is determined to govern and protect the interests and rights of the people of this country.”

UNION CLAIMS STATEMENT BY FEDERATION SECRETARY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. There was discontent on all waterfronts in New Zealand today, due to the delay in obtaining a new agreement, said Mr J. Roberts, general secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union, in a statement yesterday. "The dispute has been referred to the Court of Arbitration for fully 12 months, but it has not yet been heard." Mr. Roberts said. "The Court in 1922, and again in 1928, laid down a certain formula for adjusting waterside workers’ wages. The national union is prepared to accept that formula for a settlement of the dispute, but the employers of waterside labour have refused. “There is no justifiable reason why the dispute could not have been settled long ago. It should be remembered also that the present wage rates were agreed to in 1936, 12 months before the standard wage pronouncement increasing wages was made by the Court. The men loading and discharging . ships rightly feel that a readjustment of wages should have been made long before now. and though the national executive of the union has done everything in its power it has been met always with a blank refusal by the employers. “It is true that the employers offered a piece-work proposal, but this applied only to loading cargoes in overseas vessels at the four main ports and would, concern only about 20 per cent, of the men. The piece-work- rate was not acceptable, but. in any case, the national executive would not accept a proposal which applied to only 20 per cent, of the membership. The overwhelming majority of waterside workers in New Zealand do not desire any- hold-up on- the waterfront. They are. as anxious as anybody else that continuous work should be carried on. but the delay in adjusting the dispute lias caused grave discontent and the sooner it is adjusted on a proper basis the better il will be for all concerned."