THE WATERFRONT.

Auckland Star, Volume LII, Issue 60, 11 March 1921, Page 6

THE WATERFRONT.

A BTJSY POUT. WORK PROCEEDS SATISFACTORILY With but one diversion to- interrupt waterfront activities since resumption oi op'.-ratioiiH yesterday the port has bristled with "activity. All the bertha are occupied, in some cases vessels being ' Joubledbanked, and the -work is more than on a par with the conditions that prevailed just prior to the settlement of no prolonged dispute. A temporary .loriuge of labour prevailed yesterday i. :»gard« gangs for colliers, the abnormal demand being in excess of supply, lillt this lias been overcome to-day, in fact the executive officer of the local inion Ktated that there was an excess supply this morning , . Despite the fact, ..ill ;i number of men left the waterfront durinv; the trouble and had r. i returned there were more men <•>)■• than was the members!:. .1 v>ll3 incrpUK(-d by 200 in the last |-;rrt<T. A representative of a. shipping I'ompanv a!<n »tau*l tl'at all requirements for labour wore met this morning. I THE CAPE PREMIER. Tremble arise aboard the Cape Premier vestenlay afternoon reeardinf; a demand by watcrsiders engape.d thereon for increased pay for working heated coal, the men ceasing work in tlie afternoon, but resuming before the close of the day on the understanding that the employers had ajrreed to pay a flat rate of 3/6 an hour right through for working the ship. Some slight misunderstanding aleo arose at Onehunga, the men refusing last evening to work overtime on the ground that the union was not advised by the | federation that the dispute had been | nettled. The misunderstanding was settled, however, and normal conditions obtain to-day. As predicted yesterday, the men on the local waterfront worked overtime last evening. INSTRUCTIONS FROM WELLINGTON. "Settlement arrived at; advise you proceed to Wellington at once." is the wordine of a telegram received by Mr. 11. <;. Varland, a member of the executive of the Waterside Workers' Federation, and an executive officer of the local j union, to which he has responded by I leaving for the southern city. It is \ understood that the federation executive ta either meeting or about to meet in Wpilinjrton. Officer* of the local executive expected to receive correspondence \ rejrardiuc the settlement from Welling--1 ton this morning, but it did not arrive, and cannot now arrive before this afternoon. If it does arrive a special meeting of the union will be called, and the spirit of the communication conveyed to the men. Neither have the employers ■ received any "word from the south regarding the settlement. VESSELS IN PORT. I By to-morrow evening the stream fleet | should be reduced to eight vessels. The I Opihi and the Northern Chief (barque) | moved up to berths to-day, and the Hall and the Treglisson are I expected to berth tomorrow. The' , Northern Chief is discharging copra and I the Opihi general carpo. The barque Tlartford. which has a cargo of cool aboard, is expected to l>erth next week. Expected departures include the Genchu , Maru to-night and the Trelyon to- | morrow.