Disputes Committee Set Up

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 171, 22 July 1939, Page 4

Disputes Committee Set Up

Auckland Manure Workers’ Strike EARLY MEETING PLANNED Ter Tress Association. AUCKLAND, July 23. Following the cancellation of tho Otahuhu Chemical Workers' Union under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act, under the legislation put through Parliament this week, employers and workers’ interests held a conference this afternoon under tho Labour Disputes Investigation Act. It was convened under the procedure outlined in the Act, by the Conciliation Commissioner (Mr. Price) and after discussion, no agreement was reached on the matters in dispute which caused the strike, which is still continuing at the chemical manure works at Otahuhu, Westfield aud Te Papapa. The conference agreed, however, to set up a labour disputes committee under the provisions of tho Act, Mr. Price subsequently announcing that, under the legislation, tho Minister of Labour (Hon. I*. Webb) would appoint the chairman. On the appointment of the chairman, the parties arc prepared that tho committee should meet tomorrow or on Sunday in order to deal with this dispute, it being felt that no time should be lost iu endeavouring to reconcile the differences that exist. 1000 RAILWAY WAGONS FULL OF PHOSPHATE RELEASE BEING SOUGHT BY DEPARTMENT AUCKLAND, July 21. The release of a large number of railway wagons at present loaded with rock phosphate, the discharge of which has been delayed because of tho strike at the fertiliser works at Otahuhu, Te Papapa and Westfield, is being sought by the Railway Department. Loaded wagons are to be seen on every sid’ng between Auck/sn . and Westfield, and between 5000 aed 6000 tons of rock phosphate, contained iu 1000 wagons, is lying idle. The General Manager of the Department (Mr. G. 11. Maekley) is reported to have approached the companies and other interested parties, pointing out that the wagons have already been lying idle for some time, and suggesting that they should be released. The unloading of the wagons is presenting a problem. Free labour, it is stated, would have to be used to unload them, and if this step were takeu, it might result in repercussions in other industries.

Although the timber aud coal traffic at this time of the year is heavy, other traffic on the railways during the winter is light. Consequently the idleness of the rolling stock loaded with phosphate is not creating as serious a problem at present as it might at another time of the year. The department, however, desires to have this rolling stock available. The shipping at the port has increased in the past week, and although this is regarded merely as a temporary fluctuation, it lias increased the demand on rolling stock. Rock phosphate not having an avid content, it is stated, will not affect the metal in the wagons during tba period of idleness.