Port Problems Aggravated

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30602, 19 November 1964, Page 18

Port Problems Aggravated

Lyttelton’s month old shipping congestion and labour shortage problem, a legacy of the tallow dispute, was aggravated last evening by a rail waggon shortage. Three discharging vessels, the Port Invercargill, Port Vindex and Kaitoke became idle at 5 p.m. as a result. Loading vessels were not affected and other vessels switched to road transport. Three ships which had been idle during the day, the Maranui, Kaimai and Konini worked last evening by using the labour which became available. The Kaimai and Maranui used road transport but the Konini was loading. At 8 a.m. yesterday, a further 280 men were required to fill existing vacancies. Some vessels were short manned. Apart from a tanker and the inter-island steamer Hinemoa, the only sailing last evening was the Indian Reefer for Lautoka. The Komata, which has been using road transport throughout to discharge bulk gypsum, was not affected. The Ellerman cargo liner, City of Auckland, was also idle but labour had not been ordered back for this vessel. An additional 60 waggons would have been required for normal full overtime work to have continued last evening.

The motor-vessel Holmburn will leave Lyttelton on November 21 for Waitangi and Pitt Islands in the Chathams. She is expected to load 900 cartons of fish, 700 cartons of meat and 700 telescoped carcases of meat for Wellington. She will bring 750 bales of wool and 200 sheep for Lyttelton.