LONG STOP-WORK MEETING

Press, Volume LXXX, Issue 24386, 12 October 1944, Page 4

LONG STOP-WORK MEETING

N —— WELLINGTON WHARVES IDLE YESTERDAY

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, October 11. There was no work on the Wellington v, aterfront to-day. as the monthly stop-work meeting of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union lasted until after 3 o’clock in the afternoon, When the meeting finally broke up the watersiders went home. The Waterfront Control Commission was then notified that the men would not accept engagement either for the remainder of the afternoon or for work commencing at 6 p.m. All night gangs, starting work at 11 o’clock to-night, were not affected.

It is stated that the prolonged stopwork meeting discussed matters of importance arising from a.recent meeting of the executive of the national union. The monthly stop-work meeting is supposed to occupy two hours, from 8 a.m. till 10 a.m., but in recent months has often lasted until" noon, work for the day not commencing till 1 p.m. On some occasions permission to carry on t|ll noon has been asked for from the Waterfront Control Commission, which has at times acceded to this request. It is understood, however, that to-day no request was made fort any extension of the meeting beyond the normal time, and neither the commission nor shipowners had any intimation that work would not start soon after 10 a.m.

, The clothing coupons in the new ration books which are to be issued next week will not be available for use until December 1. A circular advising retailers and the public of this has been issued by ,„the Rationing Controller (Mr J. E. Thomas),