AUCKLAND PORT NORMAL

Press, Volume LXXXIV, Issue 25448, 20 March 1948, Page 6

AUCKLAND PORT NORMAL

SHIPS AT WHARVES MANNED THREE VESSELS STILL IN STREAM (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March U. One of the most prolonged dispute® in the history of the Auckland waterfront ended to-day with the return of waterside workers to normal working hours and the manning of all idle shipping. The port was working tonight for the first time since February 24, and to-morrow will be the first Saturday worked since February 14. The final outcome of the dispute Will be determined by Court proceedings. To determine whether men were wrongfully dismissed from the wheat ship Mountpark and to test the action, of the Waterfront Industry Commission in placing unionists on penalty action will be taken by the union. More than 600 unionists were engaged for idle shipping at the labour call this morning and practically ail the remaining places were filled with 160 non-unionists. The Mountpark was manned for the first day since February 20, when more than 120 men were dismissed for refusing to lift hatches. She is expected to complete discharge and sail on Tuesday to load wheat at Sydney for Auckland and Wellington. A heavy accumulation of cargoes is now being handled on the waterfront and the effects of the dispute will be felt for many weeks to come in wharf and shed congestion. Nine overseas, Intercolonial, and coastal ships began discharging to-day. Three .ships with overseas cargoes are at anchor. The Paparoa, with New York goods, will .berth to-morrow afternoon after*the departure for London .of the liner Empire Star and the Brethgne will move from the stream to Chelsea about Wednesday to land sugar, but no berth will be available for some time either for the Port Wel- . Jington. which has been waiting withi a ■ Liverpool cargo for a fortnight, or the Coptic, which will come into port on Monday from the Motuihi powder anchorage with a cargo from BritainThe Moraybank, due on Sunday from the Gulf of Mexico, will also anchor. Eight more overseas vessels will arrive by the next week-end.