WHARF DISPUTE AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25446, 18 March 1948, Page 4

WHARF DISPUTE AT AUCKLAND

SETTLEMENT LIKELY TODAY.

COMMISSION’S PROPOSALS (PJL) AUCKLAND, March 17. There were strong indications today that the long dispute on the Auckland waterfront would come to an end to-morrow. Proposals for settlement were made by ihe Waterfront Industry Commission to the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union and will be discussed at thtf monthly stop-work meeting of the branch in the Town Hall in the morning. No public statement on the proposals was made either by the commission in Wellington or by the union, but the Auckland and national president of the union (Mr H. Barnes) and Mr T. Hill, national secretary, appeared pleased. Mr Barnes’s only comment was that a decision rested with the stop-work meeting. With the exception of a break of two days, no overtime work has been accepted by Auckland waterside worker? since February 16, and the loss of 19 hours a Week for more than a month has seriously delayed the movements of shipping. Since March 1 the Waterfront Industry Commission has maintained that the actual vessel in dispute, the wheat ship Mountpark, must be manned before any other fresh labour can be engaged, except that required for a few priority car-, goes. The loss of working time and the preference policy have resulted in a formidable accumulation of cargoes to be moved when work resumes on a normal basis. The commission once more called for labour to man the Mountpark this morning. A total of 122 men refused work and were placed on penalty.