TOWNSVILLE JETTY TROUBLE.

Morning Post (Cairns) Tuesday 22 October, 1907.

Townsville Jetty Trouble

YONGALA GANG REFUSE WORK.

A hitch occurred this morning at

the Adelaide Co.'s wharf (says the

Townsville "Star"- of Friday), when

the gangs told off to handle cargo for

the steamer Yongala, on her trip

from Cairns to the South, declined

to commence work. The reason for

this miniature strike, so far as can

he learned, was very trivial, and the

action of the men not altogether

worthy of themselves. It appears

that through the negligence of an

officer appointed to keep the time-book

the tally of the lumpers for the week

was not available in sufficient time

to enable the wages cheque to be

drawn by the Company before the

bank closed yesterday. At the request 

of the manager, the bank officials agreed 

to accept a dheeme half an hour later 

than the ordinary time for closing, but 

it was not possible to adjust things in 

the time, consequently, the weekly pay 

was postponed until this morning. The

money was available as soon as the

office opened this morning, but the

the regular hands refused to commence 

work until they had been "squared" for the 

past week. Matters were amicably adjusted 

by 11 o'clock, and the holds were manned

and everything is now proceeding

smoothly. The Yongala will sail at

her advertised time this evening at

7.30 o'clock.

In connection with the above, it

might be mentioned that the amount

of pay to be distributed amounted to

.£513, divided among 168 men, which

if evenly distributed, would amount

to over £3 per man for the week. As

it is, one man received over £11 10s

for his week's work, 10 received over

 £9 each, six received over and  £3 -

1 received over £5, the balance being

distributed over the remainder of the

men.

Does this report suggest tardy management on the part of the Adelaide Steamship Company, or were cracks starting to show regarding their balance sheet?