Food Ships Not Full?

Northern Advocate, 11 March 1948, Page 7

Food Ships Not Full?

AUCKLAND, Thu. (Sp.).—Food ships may be despatched to Britain before their cargo capacity is completely filled unless the present position on the waterfront is altered. The chairman of the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores’ Association (Capt. R. S. Lewis) said this yesterday.

He added that this step might have to be taken to avoid further congestion for subsequent loadings. Another 80 members of the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union were placed on penalty for three days yesterday for refusing to accept engagement on the preference ship Mountpark. The total at present under penalty is now about 300. "We have proposed to the Waterfront Industry Commission that the matter of the Mountpark be determined legally.”' said Mr H. Barnes, president of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union last night. “We have asked the commission to accept a writ claiming that the men on the Mountpark were wrongly dismissed. and seeking appropriate" damages.

“We proposed that the Mountpark be isolated to permit the resumption of.overtime work on and the manning of every other vessel in the port of Auckland. If these people are sure of their ground in claiming that the men on the Mountpark were correctly dismissed, then they should welcome our proposition, but so far the commission has given us no reply. “It has to be pointed out that the union made its submissions in the Mountpark dispute a week' ago yesterday. The commission promised to give a decision, but we are still waiting.”

Mr Barnes said the national executive of the union would continue its meeting today.