Ships Idle At Lyttelton

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32011, 11 June 1969, Page 1

Ships Idle At Lyttelton

Because of the seamen’s stoppage six New Zealand-registered vessels, including the inter-island steamer Maori, were idle at Lyttelton yesterday.

One overseas ship, the Taranui, joined the dispute when her Fijian, crew refused to sail, in sympathy with the New Zealand seamen.

Other overseas ships in port were not affected.

Seamen from the Maori picketed their vessel and displayed placards protesting about the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill No. 2, now before Parliament. Watersiders did not work the Kaimai, Navua, Storm, Calm and Holmdale. In the Maori, the watersiders handled passengers’ cars and luggage, but refused to touch cargo. Most of the surplus labour was transferred to overseas vessels.

The assistant secretary of the Lyttelton Waterside Workers’ Union (Mr R. K. Fergus) said the watersiders supported the seamen in their protest and, during the dispute would not handle cargo gear in the six ships. The scheduled sailings yesterday of the Maori and the Storm were cancelled.

The Fijian-registered Taranui is expected to sail this morning. She had completed discharging her cargo and was due to sail at 10 a.m. yesterday. Because of the disruption to their timetables, two roll-on vessels will arrive a day late at Lyttelton. The Hawea, normally due from Dunedin on Wednesday, will not work Lyttelton until tomorrow. The Maheno is not now due until Saturday. She will sail direct from Lyttelton to Sydney instead of returning to Wellington on this trip.

The Maheno, recently delayed in Sydney by a loading dispute, had been scheduled to sail from Auckland for Wellington at 5 p.m. yesterday. She is now due to leave at 10 a.m. today. The Northern Steam Ship Company’s coastal ferry Seaway Princess is also at Auckland waiting for the Maheno to leave the sea terminal. Only one ship working the port of Westport was affected by the stoppage. The Totara has been delayed in sailing for Onehunga with 1250 barrels of pitch from the abandoned briquette plant at Ngakawau for use at the Rotowaro works. Union To Be Heard (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 10. The Seamen’s Union will make representations on the Shipping and Seamen Amendment Bill to the Parliamentary Labour and Mining Committee at Parliament tomorrow. After a meeting with the Minister of Marine (Mr Scott) this afternoon, a union deputation was told that submissions would be received. The Bill was introduced in Parliament last week and referred to the committee. It provides for the setting up of port committees and marine councils with disciplinary powers in New Zealand ports.