PORT OF PATEA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21734, 27 August 1932, Page 11

PORT OF PATEA

A WATERSIDE DISPUTE' POSSIBILITY OF RAILWAY CONTRACT. (Per 'United Press Association.) HAWERA, August 2G. With the signing oil of the crews of the vessels Hawera and Kapuni a deadlock was reached in the waterside dispute at Patea this morning, but there was a surprise turn of events this after : noon when the Hawera, which arrived in port from Wellington on Saturday with general cargo, was unloaded by free labour. The unionists made no attempt at interference and the discharge, of the cargo was completed. The deadlock resulted from the waterside workers’ refusal to accept the South Taranaki Shipping Company’s offer, which differed from the Dominion rates of pay, and their subsequent • refusal to resume work under any conditions till the company reinstated five store employees who were dismissed for declining to work the cargo. The vessels thus being idle, the crews were paid off. The possibility of far-reaching consequences to the port following the trouble was indicated in an interview by Mr J. R. Corrigan, chairman of the West Coast Refrigerating Cojnpany, of which the South Taranaki Shipping Company is a subsidiary concern. The present being the slack season, with no dairy produce shipments for six weeks, the Hawera was being laid up for overhaul, Mr Corrigan said. He went on to say that the refrigerating and shipping companies would now have an opportunity of reviewing the whole position so far as the port was concerned. He understood that the Railways Department was prepared to negotiate for a railway contract to Wellington that would compete with the cost of seaborne traffic. The shipping company had recently received inquiries regarding the sale of the vessels, and, though nothing would be done until an acceptable railway contract had been arranged, there was a distinct prospect of revolutionary changes being made. In the event of shipping being continued from Patea, he contended that the company should have the right to employ its own storemen working the company’s cargo on the company’s own - boats. Patea being a tidal port, it should not be restricted to the conditions which obtained at the larger ports. The unionists were willing to work at a general rate of Is lid an hour, with the usual overtime rates. He offered 2s an hour for eight hours, with overtime after eight hours. The secretary of the Patea Waterside Workers’ Union says that the union was offered 2s an hour, with no conditions and no mention of overtime. He was awaiting developments from Wellington.