IDLE SHIPS

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22475, 20 July 1936, Page 11

IDLE SHIPS

DELAY AT NAPIER DISPUTE NOT SETTLED VALUABLE CARGO WAITING MEN PAID SUSTENANCE [by TELEGRAPH OWN CORRESPONDENT] NAPIER, Sunday No agreement has been reached in the shipping dispute nt Napier, and activities on tho waterfront remain at a standstill. The Federal vessel Kent is at anchor in the roadstead waiting to load frozen meat and general cargo for London and West Coast ports of England. Her departure on Monday for London direct is likely to be postponed. It is understood that negotiations are in progress in Wellington between representatives of the employers and the Watersiders' Federation with a view to arriving at some settlement. About £40.000 worth of produce for overseas markets is held up as tho result of the trouble. A representative of a large mercantile company said even if the Kent's departure were delayed and the strike declared ofF there would still bo very considerable expense to the primary producers because of the delay. It was estimated, he said, that about 14,000 freight carcases of mutton, beef and other meat, valued at about £22,000, in addition to wool, manure, tallow and butter, were to bo shipped \>n the Kent. In addition there was an exceptionally big cargo of other products, both primary and industrial, awaiting shipment. Some Cargo Cancelled "Some cargo has been definitely cancelled for export in the meantime," stated the agent. "Even if the strike is settled within a few days it will not be shipped until later." The fact that the departure of tho Kent is reported to have been delayed is a sign that some hope is held out that a settlement will shortly be reached. All the frozen meat has had to bo returned to the freezing chambers at the works. This means double handling at tho works, on tho rail and at the port. This alone means a loss of. at least £4OO to the moat producers, apart from storage charges on the produce that can be held at tho port pending a settlement of the dispute. Ssustenance lor Past Week The question whether the watersiders involved should receive sustenance from the Government while they are idle is being freely discussed on the waterfront as a result of a statement that one had received sustenance to the amount of £2 18s. A representative of a shipping company stated that he made inquiries from the Labour Department and he found to his astonishment that sustenance was actually being paid for tho past week. He said an important principle was involved in view of the Government's decision not to pay the Napier seamen when they were on strike a few weeks ago. When the matter was referred to Mr. A. E. Wood, a, Labour Department inspector in Napjer, he refused to comment. THE KAIRANGA SAILS DELAY CAUSED AT AUCKLAND After being delayed for nearly two days because tho waterside workers refused to work overtime unloading the vessel, the Kairanga sailed for Edithburg, Adelaide and Melbourne on Saturday afternoon to load again for New Zealand. The men's refusal to work overtime on Thursday and Friday evenings was because they resented the Union Steam Ship Company's action in unloading the gypsum cargo on Wednesday evening with grabs only and not employing labour.