LATE NEWS AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 April 1946, Page 7

LATE NEWS AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS

ONLY COAL VESSELS TO BE. WORKED EASTER AND ANZAC DAY (P.A.) AUCKLAND, April 18. The Auckland waterside workers will operate only coal vessels during the Easter holidays. The original Waterfront Control Commission order provided for working all ships on Saturday morning and for all work to be done to 5- o’clock on Saturday afternoon on vessels edmpleting for sailing or discharging perishable cargoes. Following a decision at a meeting of the New Zea’and Waterside Workers’ Union the men will now work only colliers on Saturday, Sunday, Monday, and Anzac Day. The commission’s order for Sunday and Monday provided that ships with coal, timber and cement cargoes be worked, and that others be worked by arrangement between the employers and the union. Anzac Day was to be worked on the same as Sunday. Mr. Barnes’s Statement.

“This self-styled committee can take it from me that the best service it can give the community is to keep out of "the affairs of the trade union movement and give themselves and everyone else a chance . by doing some useful work,” said' the president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union, Mr. H. Barnes, commenting this morning on the activities of the Load Food for Bii—tain Committee. Were their proposals dictated by ignorance, he added, they might, be pardoned, but when their actions were dictated by a desire to promote industrial conflict they should be exposed. “If these interfering people were to make inquiries as to how much food from New Zealand is being distributed to the people of Britain and how much is diverted to competitive markets, they might make a useful •contribution. If they have so much time on their hands they could well direct their eyes nearer home." “Give Up Golf.” Mr. Barnes continued: “Two of the many acute shortages are timber and coal.” He would suggest that they might get somewhere with a proposition to give up golf and go “bushwhacking.” Some of those individuals had received an invitation to go down mines and dig coal, but he had not heard of any of them availing themselves of the offer. A baby would not be deceived by the protestations that the motives of these people were genuine and. not inspired by political considei ations, Mr. Barnes declared. no hold-uFof ships for BRITAIN (P.A.) WELLINGTON, April 18. The secretary of the New Zealand Watersiders’ Union, Mr. T. Hill, said to-day that in. view of the fact that the Easter holiday was being so generally observed the watersiders would observe-it from to-morrow until Monday inclusive. This decision was made on the recommendation of the national executive of the union. .’A. Mr. Hill said there would be no holding up of ships for Britain as the freezing workers had declared a holiday and no frozen goods would be available for loading.

Favourable weather has facilitated the working of several ships.now in Wellington loading frozen meat for Britain, and it is hoped by . to-night that all perishable cargo will be on board. Had it been a wet day local shipping company officials shudder to think what might have happened. There would have been no labour at the freezing works to handle the meat if it was taken back for storage at Easter. In the words, of one officii it would have been a calamity.' In the circumstances, however, it does not appear that the Easter-break - wili seriously interfere with the loading schedules.