LABOUR AT N.Z. PORTS

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22017, 15 February 1937, Page 8

LABOUR AT N.Z. PORTS

Shipping Director's Complaint

POSSIBLE ALTERATIONS IN CONDITIONS

"Labour on the New Zealand waterfront is very unsatisfactory at present, but after discussing the position with the Ministers concerned I shall be very disappointed if the necessary steps are not taken to ensure that shipowners get a good day's work for a good day's pay, We cannot tolerate the present position for any length of time," said Mr John Macmillan, managingdirector of the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company, Ltd., and the Aberdeen and Commonwealth Line, Ltd., last evening.

Mr Macmillan mentioned that before he had had his latest, advice from the Government he had foreseen the possibility of an increase in overseas shipping freights. A few years ago conditions on the New Zealand waterfront had been much better than at Australian ports, but now the position was reversed, and the Dominion was considerably worse than the Commonwealth.

If the present conditions were to continue or become at all worse it would be impossible for shipping companies to carry on, and this would have serious effects. The cost of work done at New Zealand ports was disproportionately high. With the contracts already in existence with New Zealand the regular liners could not increase their freight charges. Tramp vessels on the other hand were able to take advantage of the market, but the liners had to maintain schedules at specified freights all the time. Shipping was dependent for its prosperity upon an uninterrupted exchange of goods between nations, and was thus vitally linked with the welfare and development of the Dominion. It was essential for those in the Dominions as well as those in Britain to realise that. The maintenance of an efficient merchant navy was necessary not only in the interests of Imperial trade, but also in national emergency. The industry had been, suffering from the effects of the economic nationalism sff prevalent throughout the world to-day, coupled • with exchange and other restrictions which had led to such a reduction in international trade. It had always been the aim of the British shipowners engaged in trade between Great Britain and New Zealand to provide fast, modern vessels capable of carrying the many and diverse products of New Zealand at stable rates of freight. During the last few years, said Mr Macmillan, much money had been spent by shipowners on new and up-to-date vessels with all the latest improvements in refrigeration and specially-fitted chambers for the carriage of chilled beef, a development which ihe hoped was going to prove a success.