OYSTERMEN ON STRIKE

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29803, 21 April 1962, Page 10

OYSTERMEN ON STRIKE

Openers Claim j Allowances i (NZ. Press Association) INVERCARGILL, April 20 i Southland's oyster openers went on strike at short notice late on Wednesday They are demanding a guaranteed wage, or standing-by allowance, instead of the present system of piece-work payments. At present the oyster openers have to stand by even if the boats do net go out. and some weeks tiieir pay is as low as £5. Apart from the oyster strike at the beginning of this season. the boats have been kept in port on several days l'ecause of bad weather. The boats will not go out again until after Easter

One immediate effect of the strike, however, is that more ov-rters in the shell will be available on the market Three factories are involved in the dispute. Oysters usually opened at the factories will presumably be sent for opening to the six factories outside Southland—at Dunedin. Timaru and Christchurch. The union president (Mr L. O'Dea) said the decision to suspend i work was made after an invitation to employers to discuss “a refusal by the employers to give any compensation for work lost during the three-week dispute between merchants and oystermen" and to take up “a union decision to press for a form of guaranteed wage," was ignored.

Personal Items

The Rev W. Harford, formerly of Lower Hutt, has been appointed senior chanlain of the R.NZAF. He replaces the Rev K Schollar who has retired after 12 years' service, mostly at the RNZAF station. Wigram. Mr Harford joined the R.N Z A F in 1955 and is at present chaplain at the R.N.Z.A F station. Ohakea.

Mr Justice Spratt, of Wellington, is in Christchurch for the Easter adjournment of the Supreme Court. Mr A. B. J. Fraser, of Dunedin, has been appointed New Zealand Kennel Club representative on the National Hydatids Council He replaces Mr J D G Duncan. of Wellington, who has retired from this position Mr F H Russell, a former United States Ambassador to New Zealand, has resigned from the Foreign Service after an illness in Ghana, where he was ambassador He is now in Washington in another department. Mr F. K Macfarlane has been appointed general manager of the Union Steam Ship Company. succeeding the late Mr A. N. Leslie. Mr Macfarlane joined the company in • its head office in 1924. He was appointed assistant general manager in 1950 and deputy general manager in 1958.—(PA.) Mr E. A. H. Tanner, of Christchurch, has been appointed as secretary-manager of the Oamaru Licensing Trust. He will begin bis duties on May 20.—(P.A.)