WHARF LOADING RATES

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25435, 5 March 1948, Page 8

WHARF LOADING RATES

JUGOSLAV SHIP SAID TO BE WORKED FASTER

WATERSIDERS CRITICISED BY BUSINESSMAN

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 4. A comparison between the rate of loading by watersiders of food ships for Britain and the Jugoslav ship Radnik —“a vessel representative of a country whose system is opposed to our way of life and ideals of freedom”—was drawn by the president of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (Mr J. F. Johnston) at a meeting of the chamber to-day. It was very significant that it had been possible to load the Radnik at the Hobson wharf, which lacked the overhead cranes and cargo-handling gear of other wharves, he said. Quoting figures supplied by the branch manager of the Waterfront Industry Commission. Mr Johnston said the rate of loading general cargo on the Radnik was 27 tons a net gang hour, ?£P? pared with the P or t average for 1946 and 1947 of 16.35 tons a net gang hour. Though there were three conflicting ways of arriving at these figures, did not alter the comparison. Mr Johnston said the figures showed that watersiders were insincere in their statements about food parcels for Britain.

The figures are to be sent to the Associated Chambers of Commerce with a suggestion that they be forwarded to the national executive of the Aid for Britain Council.