SHIPPING HOLD-UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 95, 23 April 1926, Page 9

SHIPPING HOLD-UP.

POSITION AT LYTTELTON. MANY VESSELS AFFECTED. RESUMPTION EXPECTED SOON. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, Thursday. The position in regard to the hold-up of the shipping at Lyttelton is now becoming more serious. Already several vessels bave been diverted,' while others which arrive to-morrow must remain idle until the trouble is settled. The Kurow, Avhicli arrived this evening from Auckland and Gisborne with general cargo and sheep, landed the sheep and sailed again for Dunedin, overcarrying the general cargo.. The Kamo is due from Napier and Gisborne with sheep and. general cargo. She will return to Gisborne to load further sheep for Lyttelton, and overcarry tbe general , cargo' Tbe Kartigi, which was due on I Saturday from Timaru to load for Nelj son, Xew Plymouth and Westport, is , omitting Lyttelton and sailing ' direct from Timaru to Wellington. I The Matakana, Canadian Miller and I Anglo-Columbian are due to-morrow, also a few small coastal craft, while tbe Waihemo, with San Francisco cargo, and mpre coastal vessels are due on Saturday. All must remain idle until • the trouble is settled. | The ferry steamers have been working ! ordinary cargo up till to-day, but from ' this morning they will take only perishable goods, live stock, and passengers' , motor cars. Both the shipping companies and the ! watersiders were surprised this morning I when a call for labour was made to i -work the Norwegian steamer Tugela,, j Avhicli arrived from Wellington w*ith '. cargo from Durban and hardwood from !,Bunbury for discharge. The Tugela is i under charter, and the master, Captain iN. Olsen, is acting as agent for tbe j ship, Messrs.; A. H. Turnbull and Comj pany being the stevedores. I* The owners of tbe Tugela are," of

course, not members of the Waterside Employers' Federation, and Captain Olsen decided to work Ms vessel. A' call' for labour -was therefore made by one of the stevedores' foremen -at 9.30 a.m. The men responded readily, arid five gange were engaged. The necessary railw*ay labour was also secured. The men are not receiving the lid increase. As usual, calls were made yesterday

for two "preference"- steamers, the Coolana and Canopus, but there was no response. The Canopus is continuing discharging into hulks with one gang engaged on her arrival, and this gang should complete by Saturday, when it is expected that, the >hip will sail. The- - general 1 opinion in shipping circles is that the. men, having held the work of the port up for. a few days as a protest against not receiving the lfd" per hour increase, will resume, probably about Monday, without any explanation. ■