DESPATCH OF FOOD SHIPS

Evening Star, Issue 25768, 15 April 1946, Page 4

DESPATCH OF FOOD SHIPS

VOLUNTEER LABOUR PROPOSED ROUND-THE-CLOCK LOADING (P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 15'. Proposals to fill the gaps in waterside labour with volunteer citizen employment, with a view to hastening the loading of food ships for Britain by working at night through the Easter holidays, were made by a deputation of Auckland citizens who waited on the mayor, Mr J. A. C. Allum, at the Town Hall this morning.' The spokesman for the deputation, comprising nine men and one woman, was Mr A. M. Gould, a barrister and solicitor, who emphasised that there was no political' significance in ' the deputation's activity. It was purely an ehort to co-operate organised labour to expedite the despatch of food to Britain. On the suggestion of the mayor, it was agreed that he forward an urgent telegram to the Prime Minister. This would urge that food ships be worked round the clock in the Easter holidays, and that the watersiders be asked to work accordingly; further, that as it was not reasonable to expect • the watersiders to work long hours unaided, members of _ the general public be invited to assist. An official statement from the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union was not available this morning, although it was commented that no invitation to representatives of the union to be present at the meeting had been received.