WATERFRONT TROUBLE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 24 April 1934, Page 5

WATERFRONT TROUBLE

POSITION AT LYTTELTON TROUBLE OVER WAGES (By Telegraph—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, 22nd April. The refusal of waterside workers to work overtime on some of the ships in port on Saturday afternoon caused two yessels to be delayed over the weekend, while the Shaw, Savill liner Akaroa, which sailed for Port Chalmers, left behind a quantity of cargo, including 6000 cases of apples and 3000 carcases of meat, which had to be returned to the cool store and freezing works respectively. The trouble on Saturday followed a series of disputes and hold-ups extending over the last two weeks. The men made no secret that these tactics are being used in an endeavour to force the employers to restore the former wage of 2s 4d an hour in place of the present wage of 2s. It has been rumoured in Lyttelton for the last two days that the trouble may become more serious this wek, and there are hints of a sti'ike of watersiders at all ports. Cn Saturday the Waikouaiti, from which the railway watersiders refused to discharge coal unless staging were erected, sailed for Bluff and Sydney, taking with her 600 tons of coal which should have been discharged. Lyttelton overtime wa# accepted for all vessels except the Akaroa, but in some cases the men refused to work for the full afternoon. It is alleged that a go-slow policy was adopted by those working on the Port Wellington, and the employers knocked the men off at 4 o’clock. A large amount of shipping in port carried a big demand tor labour, all unionists and many non-unionists being employed, REFUSAL TO WORK AN ANOMALOUS POSITION CHRISTCHURCH, 23rd April. The refusal of Lyttelton . waterside workers on several occasions re cently to load and unload cargoes of coal, meat, and fruit was warmly criticised at this morning’s meeting of the Citizens’ Unemployment Relief Committee. The opinion was expressed vhat in preventing others* from doing the work and “putting spokes in 'he wheel of industry 1 ' the men were forfeiting sympathy and making it a bard task to provide relief for those of them who are in genuine distress, though two other members said that the committee should find out facts before taking actioii. . . It was decided to write to the Minister of Labour asking that something he done to straighten out the anomalous position of work being refused when there are so many men wanting employment. WORK PROCEEDING SMOOTHLY CHRISTCHURCH, This Day. Work is proceeding smoothly on the Lyttelton waterfront 10-dav. 1 hough definite information is not available it is believed that the trouble which has been responsible for much delay m shipping may be settled within a short period. The meeting of the Lyttelton Disputes Committee yesterday is said to have proved satisfactory to both parties. Tim Port Wellington, which nad been delayed earlier, completed cargo transfers yesterday and sailed for Blurt tins morning.