A MINOR DISPUTE

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 102, 27 October 1938, Page 14

A MINOR DISPUTE

SEVENTY MEN CEASE WORK

CARGO LINER HELD UP

lliv Telegraph— Press Association.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, October 26.

Loading of the Federal liner Middlesex at New Plymouth today ceased shortly after 3 p.m. and was not resumed, about seventy men ceasing work for the day. Both the Waterside Workers' Union and the Union Steam Ship Co., agent for the Federal Line, declined to give any information about the dispute, but it was stated on the wharves that it arose from the pay.of carpenters employed in the hold of the vessel. It could not.be established tonight that the work would be .resumed tomorrow, but from the guarded references of union officials it was gathered; that it would be.

From comments of watersiders, th^ impression was given thas the men Tegarded the dispute as in no way serious. After a meeting of the disputes committee late in the afternoon, Mr. S. Flood, secretary of the union, said he thought the matter had been settled. He would not state what the matter at issue was, nor what the decision of the committee had been, but his attitude suggested that the union's interpretation of the award had been substantially accepted. He did, however, support the statement of some of the men that the matter was not a large

Mr. W. G Mander, New Plymouth manager of the Union Company, said first that he could not say anything until he had been in touch with Wellington. Later he said that any information that was available would be released in Wellington. There were rumours at the port that the dispute, although only of a minor nature, might have more important repercussions, but these could not be substantiated.