IDLE VESSELS.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVI, 22 April 1926, Page 5

IDLE VESSELS.

LABOUR TROUBLES AT LYTTELTON.

' (BY TELEGRAPH PRESS ASSOCIATION > CHRISTCHURCH, April 21. The position in regard to the holdup of shipping at Lyttelton is becoming more serious, and to-morrow may see one or two more vessels added to those two already idle at the port. This morning, the watersiders held the usual monthly stopwork meeting. Although two or three hundred men attended the meeting, there was at least an equal number outside the hall who were not sufficiently interested to take part. The ordinary time allowed for the meeting is from 8 a.m. till 10 a.m., but on this occasion the meeting did not finish until close on 11 o’clock. When interviewed after the meeting, the secretary of the union, Mr. J. Flood, said he had no information for publication, and he declined to say whether the meeting had discussed the hold-up or not. At 11 o’clock calls were made for labour to work the Canopus and Coolana, and two ships affected and which have been made “preference ships,’’ but there was no response. The employers had decided that the steamer Progress, which had arrived during the morning, and for which there was perishable cargo standing on the wharf, should be worked. A* call was therefore made to work her and the men immediately responded, the. Progress getting away later in the evening., „ Other vessels, which had secured labour before the trouble, continued to be worked as usual, and several of them have sailed.

Where possible, the shipping companies have diverted ships from Lyttelton, but a number are due within the next few days. The Tugela, with cargo from South Africa and West Australia. and the Kurow. with sheep and general cargo from Auckland and Gisborne. are due to-morrow. Three overseas vessels, the Matakana, the Canadian Miller and the Anglo-Columbian are among those due to-day. Others are due on Saturday and Sunday. If the employers carry out their ipresent intention, no labour will be engaged for these unless the J Canopus and Coolana are fully manned.