NEW LEGISLATION INVOKED

Press, Volume LXXV, Issue 22769, 22 July 1939, Page 9

NEW LEGISLATION INVOKED

CHEMICAL WORKERS’ DISPUTE CONFERENCE OF PARTIES CONVENED (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, July 21. After the cancellation of the Otahuhu Chemical Workers’ Union sunder the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, under legislation put through Parliament this week employers’ and workers’ interests held a confe. <-nce this afternoon under the Labour Disputes’ Investigation Act. It was convened under the procedure outlined m the act by the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr R. E. Price) and after discussion no agreement was reached on the matters in the dispute which caused the strike which is still continuing at the chemical manure works at Otahuhu. Westfield and Tepapapa. The conference agreed, however, to set up a labour disputes committee under the provisions of the act. Mr Price subsequently announced that under the legislation the Minister for Labour (the Hon. P. C. Webb) would appoint a chairman. On the appointment of the chairman the parties are prepared that the committee_ should meet to-morrow or on Sunday in order to deal with this dispute, it being felt that no time should be lost in endeavouring to, reconcile the differences. RAILWAY WAGGONS HELD UP RELEASE SOUGHT BY DEPARTMENT (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) . AUCKLAND, July 21. The release of a large number of railway waggons at present loaded with rock phosphate, the discharge of which has been delayed because of the strike at the fertiliser works at Otahuhu, Tepapapa, and Westfield is being sought by the Railway Department. The loaded waggons are to be seen on every siding between Auckland and Westfield. Between 5000 and 6000 tons of rock phosphate, contained in 1000 waggons, is lying idle. The General Manager of the Department, Mr G. H. Mackley, is reported to have approached the companies and other interested parties stating' that the waggons have already been lying idle for some time and suggesting that they should be . released. The unloading of waggons is presenting a problem. Free labour, it is stated, would have to be used to unload them, and if this step were taken it might result in repercussions in other industries. Although timber and coal traffic at this time of the year is heavy, other traffic on the railways during the winter is light. Consequently the idleness of the rolling stock loaded with phosphate, is not creating as serious a problem at present as it might at another time of the year. The department, however, desires to have this rolling stock available. Shipping has increased in the last week, and although this is regarded merely as a temporary fluctuation it has increased the demand on rolling stock. Rock phosphate has not an acid content, and, it is stated, will not affect i metal in waggons during the period of idleness.