QUICK TURN-ROUND OF SHIPS

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 157, 29 March 1941, Page 7

QUICK TURN-ROUND OF SHIPS

New Zealand Ports DISCHARGING AND LOADING , Complete Agreement At Conference (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 28. Complete agreement on measures for further facilitating the discharging and loading of ships at all New Zealand ports in order to ensure a quick turn-round of overseas vessels was reached at the Dominion conference of all major interests concerned, which concluded its sittings in Auckland today. The conference unanimously adopted two main principles, namely that the working of every overseas vessel be carried out completely at one port, wherever possible, and that all overseas vessels be worked continuously day and night in view of the increasing seriousness of the shipping situation.

The Prime Minister, Mr. Fraser, called a conference in Wellington last Monday of the Waterfront Control Commission, the shipping committee and representatives of the shipping companies. As an outcome, a more representative conference was called and after sitting on two days in Wellington, it adjourned to Auckland where it sat on Thursday, concluding today. The Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, was present, and Mr. R. E. Price, chairman of the Waterfront Control Commission, presided. Complete Agreement.

Complete agreement was reached on the following proposals:— (1) That every interested party in industry would give fullest co-operation to those directly concerned in the work of loading and discharging all vessels. (2) That, wherever possible, the, discharging and loadinc of overseas vessels be completed at one port, that railway and sea feeder-transport services be utilized to the full to distribute the cargo discharged from overseas vessels and that the same feeder services be utilized to the fullest extent in supplying the cargo required to be loaded on overseas vessels at the port of shipment. (3) That work should be carried out on overseas vessels on all occasions continuously, day and night, day gangs to work from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. and night gangs from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., the men on night shift to be supplied with a hot meal at a time to be mutually agreed on. (4) That when a vessel starts loading or discharging the work is to be carried on continuously till the completion of the job. 1 Mr. Webb expressed keen satisfaction with the result of the conference and particularly with the spirit of goodwill and co-operation shown by all parties in the common endeavour to meet thd shipping crisis and so help the Empire's war effort. It was certain the result would be a quicker turnround of ships. The tone of the conference indicated that' much better work was being done on the waterfront than previously, but all were agreed that there was still room for a very definite improvement.