WORK ON WATERFRONT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 45, 23 February 1939, Page 8

WORK ON WATERFRONT

“INEFFICIENCY MUST GO” HON. P. C. WEBB’S DETERMINATION [ Per Press Association.] AUCKLAND, Feb. 22. Determined that efficiency must take the place of "the inefficiency which unfortunately prevails at many New Zealand ports,” the Minister of Labour, Hon. P. C. Webb, intends to convene at the earliest and most convenient moment a national conference between shipowners and the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union. AU phases of waterfront work will be discussed at the conference by which the Minister hopes to avoid the necessity of a commission of inquiry. If it is unsuccessful, however, the Government is determined to take what additional steps it considers necessary. The announcement of his decision was made by Mr. Webb at the lunch hour when he addressed a gathering of Auckland waterside workers, pointing out that an enormous amount of criticism was being levelled against wharf workers for the high cost of loading and discharging cargoes.

In an interview Mr. Webb said it had been pointed out to him by many officials of waterside workers’ organisations that much ot the cost was traceable to methods of stevedoring both aboard and in New Zealand. Instances had been mentioned where hundreds of tons of cargo consigned to Wellington had been loaded on top of ships’ holds and had to be removed in order to unload Auckland cargo and then put back in the ship. "I told lhe meeting of waterside workers that if this sort of thing was happening the sooner that slate of affairs came to an end the better and that it was my intention to convene a national conference for the purpose of discussing lhe whole question of work on tne waterfronts of lhe Dominion.

"I explained that anyone loafing on any job could count on 100 per cent, opposition from the Government and if a few men imagined they could upset the whole working of the waterfront or any other industiy a rude awakening was in store for them. Many instances ot lack of discipline have been brought under my notice and I am convinced I hat nothing short of a searching inquiry will meet the case. The present dissatisfaction must stop." he concluded.