WORKING OF STEAMERS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18692, 24 April 1924, Page 8

WORKING OF STEAMERS.

PORT CAROLINE'S CARGO.

RAILWAY YARD EPISODE.

UNLOADING NOT STOPPED.

MEAT AND BUTTER SHIPMENTS.

There has been no interruption in the discharging of the cargo of sleepers from the steamer Port Caroline at Auckland, as 1 the Railway Department is keeping the vessel well supplied with empty .waggons, which are being shunted from the railway yard as required. As the waggons are filled they are returned to the yard. An effort was made yesterday to have the sleepers unloaded from the waggons in the yard to keep up a supply of "empties." The attempt, however, was a failure. At 1 p.m. a gang of 18 wale raiders was engaged for -work. The men, however, misunderstood why they were engaged, and thought it was to stack sleepers on the King's Wharf. When they realised that it was for work in the railway yard they refused to start. Captain Dingley, the stevedore, pointed out that the sleepers were not, being taken out of Auckland, and that the work of unloading the trucks was similar to the work being done on the wharves. The men were not resentful in any way, but they gave Captain Dingley to understand that the situation was a delicate one, and that they did not want to do anything that would be detrimental to the railwaymen's cause. No objection, however, was made to other waterside workers discharging the sleepers from the vessel into the waggons on the wharf. Carts Instead of Trucks. Cargo work at three other large steamers is being interfered with owing to no railway waggons being available. The Ruahine has basic slag for discharge, the Waitemata phosphates,, and the Hauraki coal. The Ruahine's cargo is being discharged into carts and stored,, and the Hauraki's coal is being unloaded into hiiiks and carts. As there is no way of dealing with the Waitemata's phosphates it is possible that she will have to go into the stream and wait until waggons are available. 6 . JJiiiiculty has arisen regarding the loading of meat and butter for export on overseas ships. The method of conveying meat to the ship's side is by means of insulated' vans, this being stipulated in . the insurance policy covering the cargo As the vans will not be availaDie it would be necessary to obtain the authority of the underwriters to vary the conditions of the policy to enable other means of transport to be used. Ruahine Dag to Load Meat. The Ruahine is due to load meat and butter , at Auckland on Saturday, but as far as meat is concerned no effort will be made to load any from the Southdown works. The secretary of the Auckland Farmers , Freezing Co., Mr. A. G. Brown, stated yesterday that the position with regard to meat was not particularly serious. The season was practically ended and very little remained in the stores. In the event of the strike being prolonged it might be necessary to endeavour to arrange for permission to vary the means of transport to the ships. The position at the North Auckland branch works at Moerewa, said Mr. Brown, was similar to that at Auckland, all meat for export having to be carried by rail in insulated vans. It was not expected that any vessel would be loading at Moerewa for at least a month. In regard to butter, Mr. Brown said it was hoped to load the consignment on the Ruahine. The insurance policies on the butter cargoes were held by the dairy companies, who would require to make their own arrangements with the insurance companies. Seeing that butter only had to be conveyed from the King's Wharf cold stores there should ho little difficulty in arranging for shipment. The Freezing Company had been endeavouring to get into communication with the dairy companies to obtain authority to cart the butter to the wharf. If this authority were given there should be no difficulty about loading.

STOCK FOR MEAT WORKS.

NO TRUCKS FOR TRANSPORT. WANGANUI GRAZIERS' LOSS. [BY telegraph.—own CORRESPONDENT.] WANGANUI. Wednesday. The freezing industry is affected by the strike. Since trains have stopped running no stock from a distance are coming forward. However the season is rearing the end, and the position is not so acute as it would have been had the strike occurred earlier. .As it is the strike will mean heavy losses to graziers. With regard to dairying lorry services have been organised and cream is being collected from as wide a radius as possible. Unfortunately many of those living in the back blocks are unable, to get their i cream to the factories.. The loss in some cases is going to be heavy.