Guards Posted At Auckland Export Wharves

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 March 1949, Page 2

Guards Posted At Auckland Export Wharves

(P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 12. Guards were posted today at all gates on King’s wharf and the export wharf cool stores of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company. They were kept under constant surveillance by a patrol car. This action, it is stated, was taken after two prominent trades union officials and two freezing works employeesr—who were reported to have been paid off yesterday—had sought to address the men in the stores to enlist their support for a boycott being imposed by members of some unions. The allegations are that unauthor- • ised persons entered the works early this morning, apparently walking in with employees, and were asked to leave which' they did. Union officials, attempting to persuade freezing works employees to join in the boycott, are alleged to nave said that they would return before midday when the stores closed down for the week-end but they had not been back by then. It is stated that a similar approach was made to the shunters to join the boycott, but that the.overtures were ignored. There is a definite split in the unionists on the boycott issue. Drivers’ Union officials will not attend a meeting called for Monday morning by the drivers opposed to their union’s boycott. The secretary (Mr L. G. Matthews) said today that they denied that an official invitation to the meeting was received. A member of the union who was not associated with the arrangements for the meeting had told them, that they could attend as spectators.

Steamer Still Idle

The steamer Northumberland, which ■ watersiders refused to work because 15 men were dismissed for refusing to unload soda ash for the boycotted Penrose glassworks, • has been idle since Tuesday morning. No call for labour was made on the waterfront on Saturady, but seven gangs who had finished work on the Monowai and other ship,s on Friday were transferred to the Northumberland. They did not, report for work and were automatically placed on penalty. The total number of watersiders placed on penalty for refusing to work -the Northumberland is now about 250. The Waterfront Industry Authority is expected to meet within the next few days, possibly tomorrow, to consider the employers’ application to have the Northumberland declared a preference ship. Two ships loading food for Britain, the Fordsdale and the Trojan Star, are expected to be affected again tomorrow by the union ban on produce of the Auckland Farmers’ Freezing Company. Shunters’ Boycott Ended Members of the Auckland branch of the Amalgamated Society of Railway Servants at a special meeting today reversed the decision made by the executive last Monday to boycott goods being railed to and from firms on the ‘‘black list.” The ban was never effective in the yards at the Auckland railway station because of the shunters’ refusal to operate it, but as a result of the decision shunters at Otahuhu will now handle stock waggons for the Southdown Freezing Works. Strong efforts have been made recently to embroil the Freezing Workers’ Union in the dispute, but the men have refused to take part in it. At a recent meeting of the union, when several hundred members were present, the militants were severely outnumbered and a great majority of the men showed that they did not want to become involved. A Wellington message says that latest developments in the Auckland carpenters’ dispute were considered at a meeting of the national council of the New Zealand Carpenters’ and Joiners’ Union in Wellington today. A union official said last night t&iat the meeting had adjourned until after the national council had met the executive of the Federation of Labour tomorrow morning.