EMPLOYERS HELD TO HAVE BROKEN AGREEMENT: NEW LOADING DISPUTE

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 22697, 23 July 1948, Page 6

EMPLOYERS HELD TO HAVE BROKEN AGREEMENT: NEW LOADING DISPUTE

LYTTELTON PORT DELAY

(P.A.) CHRISTCHURCH, July 23. A few hours after the port controller, Captain M. M. McArthur, had announced that in closing down the loading of the overseas ship Waiwera the employers had violated Clause 48 of the Waterfront Commission’s order that work must continue pending a meeting of. the port committee, a new dispute developed at Lyttelton yesterday afternoon.

f Waterside workers refused io lift the top hatches of the steamer Fort Michipicoten, which has cargo from Pont Kembla, Newcastle, and Sydney to discharge at Lyttelton. A demand was made that the waterside workers should be allowed to sling the hatches off. The demand was refused and power for the working of the slings was cut off. . Major developments are expected at Lyttelton today, the Fort Michipicoten dispute being similar to that of the sugar boat Broompark at Chelsea. No information on the dispute was available from the shipping employers or Waterside Workers’ Union late last night. The hatch question on the Fort Michipicoten is a new development at. Lyttelton. The vessel was handled by watersiders on an earlier trip without any trouble. Loaded at Port Kembla, Newcastle, and Sydney, she brought a cargo of poles, steel, pig iron, implements and a large consignment of j oranges and pineapples on her present itrip. me vessel was worked on Tuesday and rain on Wednesday held up work. Normal work was done yesterday [morning but the dispute then arose | and the ship became idle. Normal work was carried out yesterday afternoon on the Waiwera loading frozen meat for Britain. The Mill Hill is loading pinus insignia timber for Australia and the Kamo is handling coastal cargo.