Delays Likely For N.Z.-Bound Ships

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30560, 1 October 1964, Page 17

Delays Likely For N.Z.-Bound Ships

(Special Correspondent N.Z.P.A.)

LONDON, September 29. Delays of from two to 11 days were likely to affect six ships now loading for New Zealand in the port of London during the coming three weeks, it was said by the New Zealand Streamlining Committee.

The ships, the date they were originally due to sail, and the anticipated number

of days they may now be late in sailing are: Aramaic, September 24, six days;. Surrey, October 1, 11 days; Persic, October 2, two days; Port Chalmers, October 8, seven days; Imperial Star, October 8, six days; Gloucester, October 21, four days. The Port of London Authority has announced that the regulatory scheme introduced last week in consultation with the ocean shipowners—aimed at regulating the entry of vessels into the docks—“has already had effect as far as the clearance of import cargoes at the docks is concerned.” The scheme had enabled dock labour to be made available for all essential operations, with the result that accommodation craft (barges used for storage because quayside warehouses were full) had been or were now being unloaded, and congestion in transit sheds “is rapidly being eased."

There had been a marked improvement in the amount of dock labour available as the holidays period neared its end, a P.L.A. spokesman said. The number of workers was higher than a week ago, but he agreed that the port still faced a deficiency of workers, probably in the region of 1000 to 2000. But 3000 dockers yesterday decided to begin an unofficial ban on week-end overtime in some of the busiest docks in the Port of London.

The ban begins on Sunday in spite of an appeal to the dockers by Mr Frank Cousins, leader of the Transport and General Workers’ Union, not to take any unofficial action to support their claim for more pay. The ban will apply- to all but emergency overtime in the Royal group of docks.