WHARF LABOUR

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22823, 2 September 1937, Page 12

WHARF LABOUR

THE BUREAU SYSTEM FIRST DAY AT AUCKLAND FEW DIFFICULTIES FOUND Few hitches, and those of only a minor nature, were experienced yesterday morning on tho opening of the waterfront bureau system at Auckland, and fairly general satisfaction was expressed at the smoothness of tho changeover. Numbers of «gangs engaged previously on ships already in port will not come under the bureau control until the work is completed. All union labour offering was accepted by the bureau and a number of non-union men were called upon to begin work on the liner Rangitane at six o'clock last evening. The usual monthly stopwork meeting of the Waterside Workers' Union was held between 8 o'clock and 10 o'clock yesterday morning, and the bureau began work -at the end of the meeting. A considerable number of interested onlookers caused some congestion at the assignment board at the bureau office on Central Wharf, but this difficulty will be only a passing one. It was not expected that the new system could be inaugurated without some difficulties being found, but it is considered that time will quickly place tho bureau on a completely efficient basis. Only one overseas ship, the Port Adelaide, will arrive to-day, but tomorrow the port should bo fully occupied and the bureau will then receive its first severe testing.