N.Z. WATERSIDERS

Grey River Argus, 21 May 1947, Page 5

N.Z. WATERSIDERS

LEADERS & BRANCHES

P.A. WELLINGTON, May 20. National Executive members of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union are already reporting to the branches on consultations with the Government on the degree of Union representation upon a reconstituted Waterfront Industry Commission, and activity may be completed within the next week.

The National Secretary of the Union, Mr T. Hill, said, before he left Wellington to-day for Auckland, that a meeting of the Executive would be called to consider opinions expressed by the branches. It was- doubtful whether it would be possible to hold the Executive meeting before the annual conference of the New Zealand Federation of Labour, which is opening at Wellington on June 3.

The National President of the Union, Mr H. Barnes, of Auckland, and Mr Hill, are to leave by air for Australia to-morrow.

In spite of the controversy which had been begun, in his opinion, by the Minister of Labour (Mr McLagan), Mr Hill said that he did not anticipate its continuation, especially when its two waterside officials who had been conspicuously attacked were on the point of leaving New Zealand. They would not. be in a position to answer effectively. The affairs of the Union were, however, being left in capable hands. The Acting President would be Mr Alexander Drennan, of Auckland; and the Acting Secretary Mr R. J. O’Donnell, of Wellington, Who has assisted Mr Hill since his recent accident.

In Australia, said Mr Hill, economic and political questions, as they were seen by the Union, would be discussed with the President of the Australian Waterside Workers’ Federation, Mr J. Lonergan, and the Secretary, Mr J. Healy, and methods of strengthening the bonds between the waterside organisations of the two countries would be considered. The delegates were members of a join Austra-lian-New Zealand Executive, which was formed in 1945, to decide mutual policy. There was now a wider issue, that of organising a conference of waterside delegates from various Pacific countries, said Mr Hill. Mr Harry Bridges, the Longshoremen’s leader on the American Pacific Coast, desired an early conference, and the New Zealand Union thought that July or August would be a suitable time. Mr Bridges was not opposed to Auckland as the venue, but the meeting place could well be Honolulu, or San Francisco. Delegates from the United States, the Soviet Union, Australia, Canada, Mexico, China, New Zealand and Indonesia would be invited. A common policy of unity would be the objective, but the form of the intended organisation would have to be discussed.