WORKING OF PORTS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 143, 20 June 1938, Page 8

WORKING OF PORTS

THE RISING COST, "SHIPPING WORLD" FIGURES (From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, May 25. "The Shipping World," under the heading "Shipping in New Zealand Ports," publishes a letter from a correspondent who refers at length to the statement which Mr. J. B. Rooper made in New Zealand on the existing conditions there and the reply made to Mr. Rooper's statement.

In view of the wide interest of the subject, "The Shipping World" has made inquiries regarding the present condition in New Zealand ports. The men in the main ports, it states, are normally employed for eight hours' ordinary time and four hours' overtime. Of these 12 hours, the men-are actually only working about 5$ at the 'most, as they have adopted a system I whereby a gang is divided into two halves. One half sits down while the other half discharges or loads a sling of cargo. What are known as "smokeohs" last for fifteen minutes or so in each four-hour period. In addition, one or two men from each gang are always up on deck—what is known as "spelling." Further, long before the dinner or tea hour, men come out of the hold and are well clear of the wharf five minutes or so before the hour strikes.

Some idea of the difference in the rate of working cargo is conveyed by comparative figures.

Discharging figures in tons per hour (average for 1936-37) in comparison with Australia, ere given as:— Australia. New Zealand. Tons. Tons. Adelaide .. 22} Auckland .11 Melbourne .23 Wellington .13 Sydney 23| Lyttelton . 9 Trading figures at Auckland, Wellington, and Lyttelton at per gang per hour are contrasted for the year 1933 with the year 1933-37, as follows: — BALES OF WOOL. I 1933. 1936-37. Auckland 80 50 Wellington 80 70 Lyttelton ...: 80 65 J BOXES OF BUTTER. 1933. 1936-37. Auckland 700 550 Wellington 700 550 CARCASSES OF MUTTON AND LAMB. 1933. 1936-37. Auckland 320 .270 Wellington 400 350 Lyttelton 420 300 CARGO IN TONS. 193.3. 1936-37. Auckland 14 11 Wellington 15 13 Lyttelton 11 9

The figures are net after allowing for waiting time—weather delays, etc. The rates of pay are now 33 1-3 per cent, higher than in 1933.