WATERFRONT DISPUTE

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25091, 24 January 1947, Page 8

WATERFRONT DISPUTE

FEDERATION OF LABOUR EXECUTIVE’S ACTION ENDORSED <P.A.) WELLINGTON. January 23. The - Secretary of the New Zealand Federation of' Labour (Mr K. McL. Baxter) issued the following statement to-day: “The extraordinary conference of the New Zealand Fe of Labour which commenced on Tuesday morning terminated at midday to-day. Approximately 210 delegates attended. The Prime Minister (Mr P. Fraser), the Minister of Finance (Mr W. Nash), and the Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) were invited to attend, and received an attentive hearing. “The conference endorsed the action of the national executive in calling an extraordinary conference of delegates from affiliated unions to consider the waterfront dispute and its effects on the Labour movement and the economy of the Dominion. “The conference carried the following resolution by an overwhelming majority: That this extraordinary conference of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, in accordance with the unanimous decision of its 1946 annual conference, that “affiliations shall exploit all avenues of settlement before taking strike action,” approves the action taken by the national executive in connexion with the watersiders’ dispute.’ “Matters .referring to stabilisation and other questions were referred to a special meeting of the national council in February.”

RESUMPTION OF SITTINGS

WATERFRONT INDUSTRY COMMISSION

(P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 23. The Waterfront Industry Commission will meet to-morrow for the first time since December 4, when the disagreement over the guaranteed wage question caused an adjournment sine die. On January 6, a Government order suspended the powers of the commission, but this week those powers, were restored, when the watersiders returned to working overtime and on Saturday mornings.