TOFUA TO BE PAID OFF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17716, 26 February 1921, Page 6

TOFUA TO BE PAID OFF.

DISCHARGES THIS MORNING.

HUNDRED MEN AFFECTED.

The crew of the Tofua, totalling about 100 men, is to be paid off by the Union Company this morning. This is directly a result of the waterside dispute, owing to which the vessel was laid up on her arrival from Sydney on Wednesday. The Tofua originally was employed on the Wellington-San Francisco run, but when the Maheno was laid up in Sydney' as a result of the stewards' strike, she was diverted to the Auckland-Sydney run, completing her third trip this week. It was the intention of the Union Company to keep the Tofua running between Auckland and Australia, pending the settlement of the shipping trouble there, but owing to the local dispute this arrangement had to be cancelled.

The waterside workers at present engaged on ships berthed at the Auckland wharves continued their work at a steady pace yesterday. The officers of the union had nothing to say concerning the dispute, but a report was current among members that the dispute would probably be settled by Monday. A representative of the Shipowners Association expressed the opinion that a settlement was not likely unless a guarantee was forthcoming from the Waterside Workers' Federation that any agreement arrived at would be faithfully observed. The crew of the Talune were paid off earlier in the week, and the departure of that vessel for the Eastern Pacific Islands postponed indefinitely. The steamer Hexham completed! her discharge yesterday and left f° r Newcastle in the evening. This renders idle a further batch of the men engaged prior to the shipowners deciding to lay up their vessel*.

REPUDIATING THE BLAME-

FEDERATION STATEMENT. DENIAL BY EMPLOYERS. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] WELLINGTON. Friday. The secretary of the Waterside Workers' Federation, Mr. J. Roberts, in a letter to Mr. Bennett, manager of the Wellington Waterside Co-operative Employment Association, states that having made exhausive inquiries, he finds (1) That a goslow was not put into operation at any port in the Dominion; (2) that the men did not act in concert in declining, overtime, Mr. L. Glover, the president, and Mr. Roberts, state they are convinced that in all instances the waterside workers acted strictly in accordance with the terms of the agreement. They assert, however, that the employers ignored clause 45, which provides for the refer-* ence of disputes to the local Disputes Committee, and, if necessary, to the National Committee.

Mr. Bennett, in his reply, says the employers regret they are unable to accept the statement. They are satisfied that their complaints are absolutely correct, emphatically so in regard to the men acting in concert in refusing to work overtime. Mr. Roberts is in error in stating that the employers ignored clause 45. The dispute was referred to the Local Disputes Committees in Auckland and Wellington, but the unions at both ports declined to accept the responsibility of dealing with the dispute.

LITTLE WORK AT DUNEDIN. ONLY ONE SHIP NOW LOADING. [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DUNEDIN. Friday. There were no new developments on the Dunedin waterfront to-day. Matters seemed to have reached the stagnation point. The only vessel being worked is the Sealda, which is loading ballast. The accumulation of cargo from overseas vessels recentlv handled is now being cleared from the Harbour Board's sheds, which are rapidly becoming empty. This is the first occasion for many years that there has been so little oargo stored in the sheds. The Kotare arrived this morning with a full cargo of timber from Waikawa, but is held up in the meantime. It is estimated that roughly about 300 waterside workers are idle, and four steamers are laid up at the wharves. It is estimated that the tonnage idle at Dunedin just now is 5759 tons. No steps have yet been taken to pay off the crews of the Tarawera or the Kaiapoi.

LYTTELTON STILL UNAFFECTED. OVERTIME WORKED LAST NIGHT. [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH. Friday. The Lyttelton waterside workers worked overtime to-night in all cases. HAWKE'S BAY FARMERS ANXIOUS. LOADING MEAT AT NAPIER URGED. [BY TELEGRAPH.— PRESS ASSOCIATION.] DANNEVIRKE. Friday, lhe Dannevjrke branch of the Farmers' Union discussed the shortage of ships for tha7?f g R £f en me& \, U was contended that if steamers could not be loaded in Wellington they should be diverted to Wapier, and worked there. Some of the freezing works, being full, were about to close down and Hawke's Bay would be L i C T rJy badly ailected, this being the third dry summer in succession. It was decided to make urgent representattons to the Prime Minister, Sir George Hunter, M.P., an d Mr. A. m£ Nicol, M.P., asking that all possible steps be taken to get the meat shipped.