BUNKER COAL

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 218, 14 September 1944, Page 6

BUNKER COAL

FIREMEN COMPLAIN

POOR QUALITY ALLEGED

(0.C.) WESTPORT, Wednesday. A dispute which originated three months ago concerning the Class of bunkter coal loaded, into an intercolonial vessel at Westport was dealt with to-day, when seamen and firemen of the Kaimai and Kartigi, together with those of two intercolonial vessels at present in port, met representatives of the Union Steam Ship Company and coal companies this morning. Mr. C. H. Benney, Under-Secretary of Mines, was also present. After the meeting each ship in port appointed delegates, who met this afternoon to consider the proposals. It was announced that the decision was that no bunker coal be loaded into ships in port until such time as portion of the bunker coal in the vessel in dispute is removed and replaced with a better class, of coal. It was stated that a number of firemen had been paid off sick because of the extra work caused by the use of low quality coal.

AGREEMENT REACHED UNION OFFICIAL'S COMMENT (By Telsgraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. Referring to-day to a report from Westport regarding the shipping dispute, Mr. F. P. Walsh, general president of the Federated Seamen's Union, stated the report was both misleading and inaccurate in so far as only one of the ships was loaded and, provided the bar was workable, could go to sea. The facts were, stated Mr. Walsh, that owing to the bar conditions no vessel could leave Westport, but in ■ the event of the bar being workable to-night the Kaimai, which was loading for Wellington, would sail. The other vessels in port were still load--1 ing, and the dispute in respect of ' bunker coal only affected one vessel, i Some months ago an agreement was I reached between representatives of 1 the Government, the Union Steam i Ship Company and the Seamen's I Union regarding the quality of bunker coal to be placed on vessels going overseas. That agreement was not kept in the case of this ship, and all the crew was requesting was that the agreement in respect to the quality of coal be adhered to. "I am pleased to advise," added Mr. Walsh, "that an arrangement has been made between the Government and the company's representatives for the agreement to be carried out." LIVERPOOL mine idle (P.A.) GREYMOUTH, Wednesday. The Liverpool State mine was idle to-day, the men complaining of, a shortage of bars, a particular class' of mining timber. The management, on the other hand, claimed that sufficient timber was available.