Watersiders Ban Banana Cargo In Danish Ship

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29908, 23 August 1962, Page 12

Watersiders Ban Banana Cargo In Danish Ship

Five gangs of watersiders refused to unload bananas from the Danish ship African Reefer at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon. Union officials and the Port Employers* Association refused to comment on the action taken by the watersiders. However, it is understood that the watersiders’ action is a sympathy move with the Seamen’s Union, which feels that banana cargoes should be carried by New Zealand vessels operating under New Zealand wages and conditions.

The president of the Seamen’s Union, Mr F. P. Walsh, said in Wellington last evening that he had no statement to make “at this stage.”

Last evening no labour or vehicles were near the vessel. The African Reefer is carrying 24.000 cases of bananas from Samoa and Fiji, of which 15,000 cases are to be discharged at Lyttelton, and 9000 cases at Wellington. The vessel, of the Lauritzen line, is fully refrigerated and has been engaged on the island fruit trade because the Union Steam Ship Company ships which also are engaged in the trade are fully taxed with other fruit shipments at present. The vessel’s crew are all Danish seamen employed under Danish shipping articles. According to the secretary of the Lyttelton Seamen's Union (Mr T. Martin) the unemployed seamen at Lyttelton, now number 25. Mr Martin saw the master of the African Reefer (Captain K. Ahigreen) after the vessel’s arrival and also spoke to some of the crew. Neither the master nor the crew would comment on Mr Mar-

tin's approach. The secretary of the Lyttelton Watersiders’ Union <Mr E. L. Threadwell) confirmed last evening that some members of the union had refused to discharge cargo from the vessel.

Asked if this action had the backing of the union executive, Mr Threadwell said he was not able to give an answer. “I am only able to give the following statement on the matter: No official statement will be released by the Lyttelton Watersiders Union and no personal comments are allowed to be made."

Mr H. L. Herdman, Lyttelton manager for Holm and Company, Ltd., the Lyttelton agents for the vessel, said last evening that the watersiders had accepted the assignment to begin unloading the vessel, but after a short discussion among themselves when they arrived at the wharf they declined to start work. He said he had no comment

to make, but he expected that Captain J. F. Holm, the manager of the company, would make a statement today alter he had had discussions in Wellington with parties who could be affected. The secretary of the Lyttelton Port Employers' Association (Mr W. F. Sillarsi also would not comment.