AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 19 May 1943, Page 2

AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS

200 MEN _ REQUIRED. AUCKLAND, May 18.

“More than 200 more men are urgently required to swell the ranks of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union. Applicants must not be tied up in declared essential industries, and they must have a clearance from the National Service Department,” said the acting-waterfront controller, Mr. Cuthbert. “The men will have to be capable of all classes of work, and only men physically capable of performing a war effort on the wharves will be considered. “If we take men with military obligations we will not appeal for them unless they have been six months with us before being gazetted,” said Mr. Cuthbert. “At present there are 1600 men in the Auckland Union.”

COMBING OUT PROCESS

AUCKLAND, May 18.

With a view to combing out from the ranks of non-union wharf labourers all men who have trade skill, a complete survey is being undertaken by the manpower division ot the National Service Department in Auckland. A notice instructing the holders of permanent wharf passes to change their present passes for new ones "issued by the manpower officer, has been posted. “The loss of many skilled men who could fill a useful place in industry is being permitted by the present system of employing non-union labour on the waterfront,” said the Manpower Officer. “A survey, primarily of non-union men, is being carried out to ascertain the wastage of skilled manpower, and to divert it into channels where it is urgently needed. New passes would definitely not be issued to men whose previous trade experience fitted them for industries which needed additional labour. It is estimated that there are nearly 800 permanent ‘seagulls’ on the Auckland waterfront. They include all types of skilled tradesmen. In addition, there are many over whom there has previously been no check.' A preliminary survey of a number of men showed that 55 per cent, had never registered in accordance with the war emergency regulations.”