Butter Spilling On Wharf Denied

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 3

Butter Spilling On Wharf Denied

(New Zealand Press Association)

NEW PLYMOUTH, March 23.

An incident where waterside workers were said to have spilled butter on the wharf to prove that they needed more men on loading operations did not occur at New Plymouth, the branch manager of the Waterfront Industry Commission in New Plymouth (Mr J. A. Doherty) said today.

Mr Doherty denied comments made at a meeting of the Otago executive of Federated Farmers yesterday and reported in a Dunedin Press Association message. At the meeting, Mr D. D. Aiderton said that a shipping representative, to illustrate the difficulties encountered when introducing new methods of loading, had described events at New Plymouth.

A pallet system of loading butter had been suggested. Instead of eight men loading the slings, one could attach the necessary ropes to the pallet, said Mr Aiderton. After some discussion, it was agreed that this work be performed by two men. i

The new method had not been long in operation when one of the hooks on a sling was deliberately left off a pallet. Then the workers said: “This is why we need eight men on the job—to clean up the mess," according to Mr Aiderton.

Today Mr Doherty said: “We haven’t even tried the pallet system here.” At New Plymouth the normal loading method was used with a truck full of butter cartons. Four men in the truck handled cartons and four worked on making up the tray which carried the cartons onto the ship. “At Whangarei the pallet was brought onto the wharf ready to be hooked onto the ship and only four watersiders were needed as they did not have to make up the sling. "Perhaps these comments referred to Whangarei. They are certainly off the beam

anyway—it hasn’t happened here,” said Mr Doherty. Mr Doherty said that to the best of his knowledge the pallet system had been tried at New Plymouth. If it had and there had been this problem, he would have heard of it.

“Also if there had been conciliation about it, I would have taken the minutes and I have not done so. . .” he said.