NO COMMENT LOCALLY

Evening Star, Issue 23492, 5 February 1940, Page 6

NO COMMENT LOCALLY

COMPANIES AWAITING MORE DEFINITE NEWS SOME ANXIETY ON PART OF STEVEDORES Shipping companies and stevedores interviewed this morning had no comment to make on the report that a commission is to be set up to ensure efficient operation of all waterside activities. They were unable to make any criticism, they said, because they had nothing concrete on which to base any opinion. ' i Inquiries by telephone With Wellington had not brought any definite scheme for the control by the State_ to light, two companies at least having taken this step to find out where they stood in the matter. But the Wellington men knew nothing more than those in Dunedin. Until the details of the scheme are made public, therefore, the atitude ofshipping companies towards the new legislation must remain like that of Mr Micawber—they are waiting for something definite to turn up. Some apprehension is being experienced by those companies connected with stevedoring, however, for this phase of the business is an important one to them, and if it is affected they will be vitally concerned. One conjecture as to the methods to be disclosed was that the Government would not interfere basically with the methods employed on the waterfront as far as engaging labour and other conditions were concerned, but would perhaps act'in a capacity of supervisor over the working of the loading and discharging of cargo, and would not interfere unless such action was necessary. “ We have no comment to make just now,” said the acting secretary of the Dunedin- Waterside Workers’ Union.