IN DEFENCE.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 208, 3 September 1938, Page 10

IN DEFENCE.

CAUSE OF DELAY.

UNLOADING WORK.

CRITICISM BY CAPTAIN.

exceptional circumstances

Stevedoring work on the Auckland waterfront was defended to-day in reply to outspoken criticism voiced yesterday by Captain G. R. Johan»»on, master of th" Matson liner Montcrcv.

When cxeepional activity in the port as a whole resulted in insufficient men being immediately available to unload the Monterey's heavy cargo of 1300 tons, Captain Johanson declared it was appalling that the largest port in New Zealand could not cope with inward cargo. There was talk, he said, about men being out of work, yet such a .shortage of wharf labour existed that hi* company s unloading wa« needlessly delayed and the whole of its future cargo schedules were upset, °

"In no port I have visited have I experienced such a moss-up as thin," the master added. He hoped the incident would serve to bring home the urgent need for reorganising the present stevedoring system so that when a rush occurred it would l>c flexible enough to meet the heaviest demands. Big ships camo to Auckland, and more men should be taken on all the time.

Tt was stated to-day that arrangement* had been made about a week ago for nine gangs of union labour to discharge the Monterey, but when she arrived yesterday morning it was found that, because of the large amount of shipping in port, only three union f?angs would be available for an eight o'clock start. Four gangs of non-union labour were then mustered, and two more gangs were drawn from the crew of the ship. To help discharge, cargo that could be easily handled was unloaded into two lighters at the seaward side of the liner. This was discharged on to Prince's wharf this morning.

Wet weather hampered tne work during thv.- day, and the ship's departure W'as delayed two hours. She sailed for Sydney after midnight.

It was pointed out on the waterfront to-day that almost every berth in the port had been tilled, and the delay caused to the Monterey arose from the shortage of labour on this account, combined with the wet weather.

"Every ship must await its turn for labour," one man explained. "The first •hip in is the first ship manned. Yesterday, because conditions were abnormal, it was some time before those concerned could make up the gangs, and even then it was necessary to call on the ship itself for extra labour.

"Even if a ship makes arrangements 'for labour a month ahead, it is not entitled to preference in circumstance* such as those existing yesterday. The men have their living to make; they can't afford to wait idle in a busy time for a ship to come in."

Having regard to all the circumstances, it was considered that the job of unloading was done perfectly satisfactorily. The cargo had been landed in splendid order, and there had been no complaints about its condition. The portion which had been taken off on to the lightens was all. in wliarf sheds by 10.30 this morning.

It was pointed out that this was not the flr»t time that a Matson ship had had to be unloaded with the help of its erew. That had happened* here during the shipping strike on-the Pacific Coast, when steamers from America were declared "black/ 1 it -war "impracticable and uneconomic to have a lot of labour standing' Mljr by "waiting for ah emergency such as yesterday's one.