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Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18678, 29 April 1926, Page 8

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SHIPPING DEADLOCK. PARTIES IN CONFERENCE. RESUMPTION OF WORK EXPECTED. As the result of the conference between representatives of the shipping interests and of the watersidere, the prospects for an early settlement of the difficulties that have held up work on the waterfront at Lyttelton for the past week decidedly arc brighter than they have been during the past day or two. The indications late yesterday were that by this morning work would bo resumed as usual on the Lyttelton wharves.

Constitution of Conference. The conference yesterday was held an the result of the friendly intervention of Mr F. E. Sutton (.Major of Lyttelton) and took place in one of the committee rooms at the City Council Chambers: It opened at 11 a.m. and concluded after an adjournment for lunch, about '3 p.m. Tho conference was notopen to the Press. ... Mr Sutton presided, and the shipping interests were represented by Messrs \V. Bennett, secretary of the Shipping Employers' Federation, Wellington; Hun+lv Eliott, manager in Christ-church of the Union Steam Ship Co.; F. Horne, marine superintendent for the Union Steam Ship Co. at Lyttelton. and J. Garrard, manager at Lyttelton for Kinsey and Co. The watersiders were represented by Messrs J. Roberts, general secretary of the Watersiders' Federation, Wellington; J. Flood, secretary of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers' Union; E. McFarlane, W. E. Agar, and T. Radcliffe, members of tho executive of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers' Union.

Official Eeport. The official report communicated to the reporters at tho end of the conference stated that, as the result of the conference, there were prospects of a settlement of the trouble at Lyttelton. Certain proposals were agreed to which will be submitted to a special meeting of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers' Union at 8 o'clock this morning. After that meeting it is expected by the conference that work will he resumed at the Port. A further conference to discuss the matters in dispute will bo held in Wellington next week.

AN ANXIOUS TIME. PROMISE OF SETTLEMENT WELCOMED. The news that the watersiders would in all probability start work this morning was received in Lyttelton with much relief. The men themselves, the shipping and railway officials, and the tradesmen in the Port had reached a most anxious stage, • and business ui the Port had almost reached a standstill. The Mayor (Mr F. E. Sutton) was much commended for his success in bringing the parties together, as it was felt that, had a conference not been arranged the deadlock may have been unduly prolonged. With the resumption of work on the waterfront the Port will be busy for some days. In addition to several steamers which are in port, there are more that have been waiting at other ports to come to Lyttelton, and the watersiders should be fully employed for the next week.