WORK PROCEEDS

Evening Star, Issue 25993, 7 January 1947, Page 6

WORK PROCEEDS

NO OVERTIME ACCEPTED WILL GOVERNMENT USE VOLUNTEERS? FURTHER EVIDENCE OF UNIONIST RIFT (P.A.) WELLINGTON, January 7. Speculation on the waterfront .situation centres to-day on the question whether the Government intends to use volunteer labour to ensure the full working of shipping, which continues to accumulate alarmingly, promising complicated economic problems if continued. The watersiders’ counter to such action would be to declare “ black ” ships worked in such manner, as stated by the secretary of the Wellington branch, Mr E. A. Napier, to-day,. Referring to Mr Tutaki’s proposal (never received here) to use Maori labour to work ships, waterside officials in Wellington said the offer should be examined in view of Mr Tutaki’s position in tlic Labour movement, buf the opinion was expressed that he was expressing his personal view, and not speaking for the Maoris, “ who so recently have fought for democracy alongside their, fellow-trade unionists.” The Wellington branch of . the union to-day' passed a resolution condemning the action of the National Executive of the Federation of Labour in publishing business that had been discussed between the officials of the two organisations, which resolution said (inter alia): “ This action tends to throw the utmost confusion into the minds of the workers, and, if that has been the intention of the federation executive, things in the trade union movement have reached a denlorable state.” The resolution added that the branch considered that the action of the federation executive should be fully examined by a full meeting ,of the National Council of the federation. It was stated to-day that the Federation of Labour expected that more trade unions were likely to support the attitude of the federation and of the seven important unions which, had now counselled the watersiders to return to normal hours of work and negotiate through federation channels.