STILL UNSETTLED

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 21977, 22 March 1946, Page 4

STILL UNSETTLED

LYTTELTON DISPUTE PORT REMAINS IDLE MEAT SHIPS DELAYED (P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH March 22. The dispute on the Lyttelton waterfront, which lias kept the port idle all this week, remains unsettled. The parties held a long conference yesterday, but no announcement was made. The clay’s work was not wholly lost through the dispute yesterday. Light rain would have prevented work during most of the day and the employers, therefore, saved a day’s wages. It lias been suggested that if further vessels are diverted from Lyttelton liecause of the dispute the trouble may spread to oilier ports. A report on Wednesday that 45.shcep had been unloaded from the. Vvahine by the consignees has been denied. The proposal was considered, but finally it was decided to return the sheep to Wellington. Farmers Call to Government A motion calling on the Government to lake immediate action to end the shipping hold-up at Lyttelton was carried unanimously by the annual meeting oC the Canterbury Agricultural and Pastoral Association last evening alter several members had trenchantly criticised the delay occasioned in the shipment df meat to Great Britain. Meat which was so desperately needed in Britain was taken to Lyttelton and then sent back io the freezing works, said Mr. D. W. Westcnra, who raised the question.

“Ws as producers should make the strongest possible protest,” he said. “It is a blot on the reputation of this country'. We should send a letter to the Prime Minister, Mr. P. Fraser, showing him that we are at the end of our patience.” The president. Mr. R. T. McMillan, said it,'was certainly' competent for the association as a body of producers to draw the attention of the Prime Minister to what had happened. "I suppose he knows,” he added. ■The producers were anxious to help the Government and the country to supply food to Britain with the least possible delay', lie continued. Mr, G. H. Grigg moved that the association ask the Government to take immediate action to sec that the meat was shipped to London without delay and was not held up by strikes on the wharves. In recent days there had been appeals by the Government and appeals by the churches to the Government to do something to help the food situation in Britain. “This makes it almost a farce when the Government sits down and allows the 'waterside workers to hold up shipments. The delay in the turn-round of ships is a disgrace to our country'.” Turn-round of Ships

Brief reference to the question was made earlier in the meeting by Mr. Alfred Tarlton. London manager of the National Mortgage and Agency Company, who gave an address on the working of the London markets. At the conclusion of his address Mr. Tarlton referred to the scheme recently announced by the Prime Minister for saving foodstuffs and sending them to Britain. He concluded with the comment:

“I wish him the greatest luck with the scheme, but it would be more to the point if he had assured us that when the ships reach these ports they are. loaded with food and sent away again with a damn sight more speed than they are at the present time.”

Meal Put Back into Store

The most serious effect of the dispute is the delay in loading two Home vessels with frozen meat for Britain. The Themistocles was to load 9000 carcases of mutton. The Clan Urquhart was also to load frozen meat. The consignments have had to be taken back. into store at the freezing-works, and if the dispute continues much longer the works’ refrigerated accommodation will be insufficient to hold the.meat, as well as meat from current killings. When that position is reached the works will have to “go easy.” The steamer Pakeha. which was to have loaded frozen meat for Britain at Lyttelton, has been diverted to Timaru.

A letter which has now become a bone of contention in .the dispute is reported to have informed the union that unless .the men accepted Is 3d an hour extra for handling the Korowai's lampblack cargo they would be dismissed and the Waterfront Commission would see to it that .the men were not re-employed. The union is said to be demanding the withdrawal of the letter. No statement was available after this morning's conference. AUCKLAND DISPUTE (P.A.) AUCKLAND, March 22. All work ceased on the Auckland waterfront last night when a special meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board Employees' Union met to discuss the dispute between the board and the crane and mobile equipment drivers over minimum rates of pay for overtime between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. The meeting was called for 7.30 p.m., and as it was anticipated that a large number of storekeepers would be attending, the board decided to close the goods sheds. The waterside workersemployed on ships’ gear were not called back. At the conclusion of the meeting the secretary of the union, Mr. W. Ashton, said that no statement would be made.