SETTLEMENT OF WHARF DISPUTE IS ANNOUNCED

Greymouth Evening Star, 18 August 1949, Page 4

SETTLEMENT OF WHARF DISPUTE IS ANNOUNCED

WELLINGTON, This Day (P.A.). —The Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, announced this afternoon that the waterfront dispute has been settled. Normal hours are being resumed immediately. The Prime Minister said that at the request of the Waterside Workers’ Union he and the, Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, this morning received a deputation composed of the national executive of the union’. Mr H. Barnes, president of the union, was the principal speaker and stated in detail the case for the union executive. Mr Fraser In Reply In reply, Mr -Fraser said the Government would, after a thorough examination and analysis, give Mr Barnes’s statement full consideration. The Minister of Labour would be asked to furnish a detailed commentary and report on the statement and both would have the fullest consideration. “The Minister of Labour has the full support of the Government in all he has done,” said Mr Fraser to the deputation. “I have to convey to you the decision of • the Cabinet that the Government will not arrange or take part in further discussions with the Waterside Workers’ Union, its officers, executive or council in regard to the matters in dispute until normal hours are resumed at all ports,. including overtime. On full working hours, including overtime,, being resumed, discussions can be commenced with a view to achieving a satisfactory administration and conditions on the waterfront throughout the Dominion. An absolutely essential condition of the reestablishment and continuation of commission control is the acceptance and observance of the decisions of the commission.” Mr Fraser said that, if normal working hours were commenced, discussions could be started right away in an endeavour to get a permanent waterfront authority whose decisions would be observed. The country wanted peace on the waterfront. It was not in the interests of the people, or any section, for the present state of the waterfront to continue. “Would Take Action”

The Government could not remain still. It must and would take action against any persons trying to prevent the people from getting food and other necessities. When such action was taken, it would be very bad for all concerned. Indeed it might be very tragic. “We do not want that to happen, said Mr Fraser. ‘We want normal work to commence at all ports and discussions can be started as soon as possible afterwards.” Mr Barnes then stated that the executive had come to a decision to instruct the members of the union to resume normal working hours. Mr T. Hill, secretary of the union, said they 'would a direction to their members to that effect today. An Auckland message says that with 30 idle ships it is estimated that the past seven days, including the loss of trade, have cost the shipowners about £105,000. The workers’ losses in the same period are estimated at .£147,000.

Nearly 22,000. cases of bananas from Fiji, valued at over £32,000, are in the refrigerated holds of the Union Company’s island vessel, Matua, which arrived at Auckland today. As the fruit is sealed in the holds, it cannot be inspected without risk of rapid deterioration. Experts think, however, it should last over the week rend.

PERSONAL VENDETTA IS ALLEGATION

AUCKLAND, This Day (P.A.).— The trouble on the waterfront was more or less a personal vendetta between the Minister of Labour, Mr McLagan, and the watersiders’ national president, Mr H. Barnes, said Mr J. F. Johnston, at a meeting of the council of the Auckland Chamber of Commerce today. The array of ships in the harbour was a terrible sight and costly to Auckland merchants.

The president, Mr A. G. Wilson, said that open discussion now would serve no good purpose. “The time may come when it will be necessary for us to take certain action and then I will call a special meeting of the council,” Mr Wilson said. He then read the following letter which he had sent to the Prime Minister, Mr Fraser: “The patience of Auckland merchants is exhausted and they and the community strongly resent Auckland being singled out as a battleground at their expense. The situation is so serious that I would commend that you, as Prime Minister, should make an immediate forthright announcement that the Government will, without delay, implement the power that it has to see that early settlement is reached.” This closed the discussion. Kawhia farmers have expressed their willingness to work any ships diverted to their port. The Te Anga and Oparau branches of the Federated Farmers in a telegram to the Prime Minister suggested that vessels up to 2000 tons could use Kawhia harbour. Volunteer labour was available among the farmers. Mr Fraser replied that the suggestion had been passed on to the Minister of Marine, Mr Hackett, and the Minister of Labour, Mr MeLagan.