Stalemate In Barge Dispute

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31316, 11 March 1967, Page 14

Stalemate In Barge Dispute

(N.Z. Press Association) NAPIER, March 10.

There was a stalemate in the dispute between the Napier Waterside Workers’ Union and Dillinghams Transportation (N.Z.), Ltd., owners of the barge Pohonui, after a two-hour meeting at the Port of Napier this morning. The union claims that Dil-

linghams have contravened an industrial clause relating to salvage. It has refused to work any of the company’s barges at Napier. The dispute arose after the stranding of the barge at Westshore Beach on Monday night. Mr S. Gannaway, secretary of the Napier Waterside Workers’ Union, said today that on Tuesday union officials offered the barge’s agents, Richardson and Company, Ltd., any assistance they might require. “We anticipate that assistance would be needed,” said

Mr Gannaway. “We heard nothing from the agents.

“In discussions with Mr H. Julian, managing-director of Dillinghams, Captain D. Fraser, the company’s operational manager, and representatives of Lloyds, we told them that they had contravened the salvage law. “We told them that because of the contravention we will not work any more barges of Dillinghams at Napier.”

The law which the watersiders claim Dillinghams have contravened is the General Principal Order, No. 247, as to the conditions of work on

the New Zealand waterfront, laid down by the Waterfront Industry Tribunal. Clause 22 of this order, titled salvage, reads: “By arrangement between the employer and the union, salvage work shall be carried out at any time. The local port conciliation committee shall have power as occasion arises to fix special rates and conditions for labour required to work a wreck or marine casualty, or for a specific cargo damaged by fire or water, provided always that the workers shall proceed with the work as required pending the deciison of the port conciliation committee.”

The £95,000 barge, which was pulled off the beach at 1.5 p.m. yesterday by the tug Mohala, had about three-quar-ters of its cargo of serpentine (1200 tons) unloaded by front-end loaders belonging to Napier firms. The barge was then towed to the Port of Napier for the remainder of the cargo, about 300 tons, to be unloaded. After talks with the union officials this morning, Mr Julian said his company was still negotiating with the union and trying to find a peaceful settlement to the dispute. “We are not prepared to make any further statement at this stage,” he said.