WORK ON DUTCH SHIPS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25249, 30 July 1947, Page 7

WORK ON DUTCH SHIPS

NOTICE TO BRISBANE PORT COMMITTEE

BRISBANE, July 29. The Stevedoring Industry Commission in Sydney, which is the Federal Government authority, has instructed the chairman of the Brisbane Port Committee (Mr N. Boyd) not to receive orders from employers for waterside workers to work Dutch ships in dispute. A spokesman for the port committee said that in deciding whether Dutch ships were in dispute Mr Boyd would be influenced by the attitude of the watersiders to particular ships. If the watersiders imposed a ban no work would be accepted.

“At last the Federal Government has shown its hand,” said a spokesman for the shipping companies. “Apparently what the wharfies say goes in this country.” The Dutch freigher Urootekerk will sail from Moreton Bay to-day for Rotterdam, via Colombo. The Waterside Workers’ Federation offered to unload 400 tons of crockery, cigarette papers, and cotton' textiles, but the company declined the offer. The goods will now be offloaded at Colombo. The reason for the decision of the company is believed to be that in its present position the ship could put to sea without assistance, whereas once in port tugs would be needed to move her. The Tjkampek, loaded with about 3500 tons of Queensland goods for Indonesia, is immobilised in Brisbane. In Canberra, the Minister for the Netherlands (Mr Teppena) said that he had not sent a specific Note to the Australian Government.