WHARF-LABORER’S STRIKE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVIII, Issue 2748, 1 March 1910, Page 5

WHARF-LABORER’S STRIKE.

THROUGH NOT BEING ALLOWED

TO USE HOOKS

[Peu Press Association.] WELLINGTON, Feb. 28. Fifty men engaged in discharging cement from the Union Company’s Wanaka discontinued work on Saturday because they were not allowed to use hooks in handling hags. The Wanaka has 500 tons of cement on hoard, and it is estimated that 200 tons were discharged on Saturday before the men refused to continue work. To-day a conference between the Union Company’s manager, officials of the Wharf Laborers’ Union, Messrs P. Halley and D. McLaren, and the Company’s shore foreman took place. The result was that an arrangement was arrived at that the men should return to work on the understanding chat there were to be six men in each gang, instead of four, and that as soon as the Wanaka’s cement cargo was discharged a conference be held to decide what practice (hooks or no hooks) shall be followed in 'future. When the decision was made known the men objected to go hack under the conditions stated, hut eventually the necessary number was obtained. Some feeling was displayed by some of the men, inasmuch as a section had offered to do the work of discharging with hooks on the understanding that any man who tore a bag should he discharged.