Impasse!

Labour Delegation Fails To Settle Cook Is. Dispute

From Our Own Correspondent

Rarotonga, Aug. 20.

THE long promised delegation from the NZ Federation of Labour, delayed by labour troubles on the home front, arrived at Rarotonga on the “Maui Pomare” on August 12. This was an attempt to stoo the war between the two Cook Islands Ship-Working Unions (CIPA and Cook Island Workers Union).

The visitors were Mr. K. Baxter and Mr. Richards, as previously announced.

Their visit was short, as they left again on the same ship two days later. But it proved to be time enough to do all that could be done in the matter of promoting amicable relationships between the rival factions in Rarotonga.

Although no official statement has been made, it appears that, for all that was accomplished, the delegation was little more than a waste of time and money.

This was predicted by many local resi

dents, as the bitterness of the die-hards of the CIPA against the Workers’ Union seems insurmountable. » Feuds among Rarotongans are about as incurable as those of the famed hill-billies.

A meeting was held between Messrs.

Baxter and Richards and the executives of the Workers’ Union and the CIPA. Mr.

Baxter spoke soothingly, and said in effect that whereas the CIPA could do much good as an organisation to promote the general welfare of the island, when it came to the question of employed labour the only satisfactory course was for all workers to become members of the estab lished and officially recognised union.

The CIPA leaders quickly revealed that they were in no mood for compromise and they countered Mr. Baxter’s overtures with a flat demand for the abolition of the Workers’ Union.

The meeting ended in this state of deadlock. The CIPA representatives asked if Messrs. Baxter and Richards would attend a meeting of their own water siders’ association (a branch of the CIPA —actually, of course, the main branch).

The visitors replied that they were quite willing to do so, providing the gathering consisted of genuine waterside workers.

When the delegates arrived at the meet ing on the following day they found that, as usual, the CIPA “workers’* were largely reinforced by women, old men and children.

However, they spent a whole afternoon listening to the CIPA arguments, which all amounted to one thing—no com promise and abolition of the Workers’

Union.

So the delegation sailed away again.

The Workers’ Union now has a mem bership of 500 actual workers, which must embrace a high proportion of the wage workers on the island, and there is no question at this stage of retreat on its part.

It remains to be seen whether the CIPA can now be ignored in regard to local labour organisation.

The detachment of six NZ policemen, under Senior Sgt. W. Brown, who have been hoping to return home after the Federation of Labour delegation had brought peace to the island, is now faced with the prospect of remaining on duty here indefinitely.

“Leave Them Alone!”

THIS is from another commentator; I believe that, if left alone, the CIPA will solve the present problem by gradually dropping out of the picture altogether. Of course, they would not give in to the overtures of Messrs. Baxter and Richards. Such loss of face would be too much for native pride to bow to.

Far better to leave them alone now, for they are already on the way out. Let them die quietly, unlamented and unsung, for this will do more for the common good than putting them to the ignominy of a ceremonial striking of colours to the ac companiment of a chorus of unkind jibes from the triumphant watersiders.

And when the Union has complete powers —what then?