29 SHIPS IN PORT AT AUCKLAND

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25878, 10 August 1949, Page 6

29 SHIPS IN PORT AT AUCKLAND

“The Press’* Special Service AUCKLAND, August 9. Tens of thousands of tons of cargo in ships in the port of Auckland will be frozen to-morrow afternoon if the waterside workers do not accede to the shipping employers’ ultimatum to resume night overtime. Twelve overseas ships and 12 large intercolonial and coastal ships will be at waterfront berths to-morrow morning and five overseas ships at anchor. Nineteen of the 24 berthed ships are discharging cargoes from Britain, North America, Europe,' the Pacific. Australia, and from southern ports. Of the five loading ships, only one. the Port Auckland, is taking produce to Britain.

The five overseas ships at anchor are the Ottawa Valley and Port Quebec with Canadian cargo, the Tamaroa and Taranaki with British cargo, and the Dcrryheen with New York cargo. Three large ships listed to leave during the day are the phosphate ship

Rowanbank for Ocean Island, the Koromiko for Melbourne, and the Wairata for Wellington.

QUESTION ASKED IN HOUSE

(New Zealand Press Association.) WELLINGTON, August 9. Would the Minister of Labour (Mr A. McLagan) endeavour to have the ban on overtime work settled at the main ports? asked Mr A. S. Sutherland (Opposition. Hauraki) in a notice of question in the House of Representatives to-day. He said there were still 111,000 tons of last season's meat, 14,000 tons of butter, and 10,000 tons of cheese awaiting shipment to Britain.

Because of the slow turn-round of ships, freight charges were being raised by amounts varying from 5 per cent, to 13 per cent, on New Zealand exports, Mr Sutherland added.