FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 9, 8 December 1937, Page 2

FURTHER NEGOTIATIONS.

YESTERDAY’S CONFERENCES

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, Dec. 7. With the failure of the representatives of both parties to reach agreement at two joint meetings which were held to-day, the labour dispute which is crippling cargo operations on the Auckland waterfront is still continuing. A further meeting of parties is to be held to-morrow.

The number of ships now involved is 24 and further arrivals will be affected to-morrow if a settlement is not reached. * , Because of the weather, no work would have been done on the waterfront in any case to-day, and no call for labour was made from the watersiders’ bureau. This alone caused further delay to shipping and, if the wet weather continues, even an agreement between the parties will not greatly assist shipping companies to make up the valuable time which has been lost.

The joint conference between representatives of the employers and watersiders began about 8 o’clock this morning. It was attended by Captain R. S. Lewis, chairman of the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores’ Association, Mr C. B. V. Wheeler, manager of the Union Steam Ship Company in Auckland, and Mr W. 11. G. Bennett, representing Wellington shipping interests, and by three representatives of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, Messrs T. Solomon, president, R. Jones, vice-presi-dent, and W. J. Cuthbert. > After discussing the position, the representatives of the union retired to meet members of tlie union. A further meeting with the employers’ representatives was then held, but no agreement could be reached, and the meeting was adjourned, it being proposed to hold a further conference tomorrow. , A meeting of executive members or the union was held this afternoon to discuss the position, but no statement was forthcoming. The union, however got into touch with the secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation. Mr J- Roberts, of Wellington, and he is expected to arrive in Auckland in the morning to discuss the position. Further delay in settlement has resulted in the shipping companies being placed in a quandary with their ships due to leave direct for overseas or to go to other New Zealand ports to continue loading or discharging. They said they could not make many of their sailings definite. This in turn would react unfavourably on those interests with valuable cargo either on board or due to be shipped, and it was essential that a settlement should be reached as soon as possible. Early this afternoon the president secretary, and walking delegate of the Watersiders’ Union were asked for a statement. Their reply, after consultation, was: “We have no statement to make.”

PROVISIONAL DISMISSALS. The unemployment of a number of men whose livelihood is dependent on the regular working of ships in port is visualised by officials of several firms with interests on the waterfront. Already one firm lias issued a provisional dismissal notice to its carriers numbering about 50, and though other firms who were approached have not yet considered the question they said , such a course of action a possibility if the dispute became mdefinitelv protracted. . On behalf of the firm of J. J. Craig. Ltd., which does a proportion of carrying work to and from the wharf sheds for loading and discharging of shipping, it was stated that a provisional week’s notice as from- last night had been issued as a precautionary measure to all its drivers. Only a few of the men were regularly employed doing wharf work, but the action had been taken in case the dispute should make it necessary for the men who were paid weelclv to be transferred to casual work. The notice was contingent on the dispute continuing for at least another week, but if a settlement should be reached before next Tuesday the notice would automatically be cancelled. The amount of work done bv the men on the wharf trucks naturally defended on the amount oi cargo to he handled, and this was decreasing with the continuance of stoppage on the waterfront. Other carrying firms stated that no such action had .as yet been taken by them. _ . “Are we to sit bv and leave the question in the hands of those who interfere with fire trade of the port with impunity?” observed M r H Luke at n meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board when passing reference ■"• as made +o file waterfront disnpte. He asked whether the hoard should not have an interest in the matter in view of the fact that shipping was disorganised. Answering Mr "R. T. Reid. who inquired if a settlement had been effected the chairman (Hon. T. R'oodworth) said there had been no official announcement to the board. However. he understood a conference had ' been belrl in the morning and another would be held to-morrow. Referring to Mr Luke's comment, be said the board had a very direct interest in the dispute. but'the present stage was not opportune to interfere, as negotiations were proceeding between the parties

directly concerned. At this time the board could give no real assistance. INVESTIGATION URGED. BY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE. “Tlie handling of goods and cargo in New Zealand is more expensive than in any other country in the world. I think we should urge the Associated Chambers to approach the Government to effect an improvement,” commented a member at last evening’s meeting of the council of the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce, when the subject of wharf conditions was briefly discussed. The speaker, who asked that his name be not published “in case his company was victimised,” quoted figures in connection with the handling of dairy produce at Wellington. He stated that some thousands of boxes of butter had been unloaded from the cool stores to railway waggons in 216 hours at a cost of 2s 4d per hour, but it had taken 412 hours, at 2s 8d on hour, to unload the same quantity from the trucks to the slings at the ship’s side. He assigned “go slow tactics and perhaps incompetency” as the reason - , ... , The chamber decided to communicate with the parent body on the lines suggested, urging that an investigation be made into conditions on the wharves. A message reporting the settlement of the dispute appears on page 9.