NAPIER WOOL STORE STRIKE

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 99, 21 January 1938, Page 12

NAPIER WOOL STORE STRIKE

Statement By Brokers

OUTSIDE LABOUR MAY BE ENGAGED

Dominion Special Service.

Napier, January 20.

Following a meeting of the Hawke’s Bay Woolbrokers’ Association, the situation created by the walk-out of 400 workers in the Napier wool store has taken a new turn.

Mr. L. C. Rolls, president of the brokers’ association, after the meeting, said that during the day he had met a committee of the men and had pointed out to them that next week three overseas vessels were due to load at Napier 20,000 bales of wool sold at the last Napier sale. He emphasised that if the men adhered to their decision not to resume work until the Court of Arbitration had issued the new award covering the industry it would mean that, work would not be resumed before next Tuesday at the earliest. The following day, Wednesday, was the day of the watersiders’ picnic and there would be no work on the waterfront on that day. That meant, said Mr. Rolls, that there would be no wool shipped before Thursday. The employers, therefore, had reluctantly come to the decision that some effort had to be made to handle the wool in time for shipment on the vessels which were expected- next week. The men, said Mr. Rolls, were to’ meet at 8 o’clock to-morrow morning and he was hopeful they would realise what was involved in the hold-up and resume immediately. Failing that, the brokers, in order to avoid serious losses to the district, had decided to engage outside labour.

Asked to-night if he would say anything about the employers’ decision, Mr. J. Murphy, secretary of the Napier branch of the Wool Store Workers’ Union, said the men would meet at 8 o’clock to-morrow morning when certain proposals would be put to them. Decision rested with members of the union. Beyond that, Mr. Murphy would not comment.

Unless a settlement is reached before to-morrow evening the coastal vessel Pukeko may be affected as a large portion of her cargo from Napier to Auckland will consist of 750 dumps and bales, 200 which are for transhipment to the Awatea and 60 to the Aorangi, the remainder being forwarded to an Auckland firm. This cargo is at present lying in the stores at Port Ahuriri and it. is not known whether the shipment will go forward. The Pukeko is to arrive at Napier to-morrow morning from Auckland and will sail to-morrow evening for the same port. Another coastal vessel which may •be affected if the present conditions continue is tlie Awahou, which arrives from Hicks Bay and Tokomaru Bay on Monday with 800 bales of wool. It is understood that this wool will be discharged by the vessel on arrival at Napier.