CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 56, 7 March 1921, Page 5

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS

OPINION'S DIVIDED. ■By Telegraph— Press Association.* WELLINGTON, fcaiurday Tiip Waterside Federation lias consulted the affiliated union? regarding the employers' demand for an a--surame that wqrk will in future bo free from, harassing delays. i>p'mons arc divided! as to whether a sett'.ement i- likely, j Both sides decline to make a statement to th-e Ires.-. In accordance with their previous decision the shipping eompanie- to-cay| paid off the i-rews of eight small vessel?.. whVh are delayed here. To-day there. are 4(i ve>>cis in port, including come large liners. With the. exception of the Admiral Oodrinffton all are idle. Another addition to the already lar£e| flert of vessels at anchor in the stream was the 5,000 ton tramp steamer Kreden-I haum. with a full cargo of American j coal from Hampton Roads for the (iov-l ernment. Tivo of the Union ( onvpany's' v-ess-el-s, the Moana and the Moerak', arc j due from Svdner to-morrow. The iinerj Ruapehu arrived here to-day andi berthed to disembark Nortth Island sengers. As all the vessel's carp-o is fir the South Island, she leaves to-morrow] for Lvt-telton. The Admiral Oodninpton is harm? her timber steadily discharged, the men, working -from 8 am. to 5 p m. to-day, j The contracting stevedore asked the ■ watersidcrs if they were agreeable to work on Saturday afternoon —an unconrmoTi procedure. All hands expressed their willingness to do so. The watersiders are said to be working splendidly and ' continue working until the stevedore orders them to cease. Their oonducst is said to be exemplary. The position is a puzzling one.