NO AGREEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23369, 8 December 1937, Page 10

NO AGREEMENT

THE WATERFRONT DISPUTE I TWENTY-FOUR SHIPS ~ INVOLVED COMPANIES IN A QUANDARY '1 «Pek United Press Association) i \ AUCKLAND, Dec. 7. 1 With the failure of representatives of both parties to reach an agreement at two joint meetings which were held to-day, the labour dispute which is crippling cargo operations on the Auckland waterfront is continuing. . A further meeting of the parties will be held to-morrow The number of ships now involved is 24 and further arrivals will be affected to-morrow if a settlement is not reached. Because of the weather .no work would have been done on the waterfront in any case to-day and no call for labour was made from the Waterside Workers' Bureau. This alone caused a further delay to shipping, and if the wet weather continues even an agreement between the parties will not greatly assist the shipping companies to make up the valuable time which has been lost. Abortive Conference A joint conference between representatives of the employers and waterside workers began about 8 o'clock this morning. It was attended by Captain R. S. Lewis, chairman of the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores' Association, Mr C. B. V. Wheeler, manager of the Union Steam Ship Company in Auckland, and Mr W. H. G. Bennett, representing Wellington shipping interests, and by three representatives of the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union —Messrs T. Solomon (president), R. Jones (vice-president), and W. J. Cuthbert. After discussing the position, the representatives of the union retired to meet the members of the union. A further meeting with the employers' representatives was then held, but no agreement could be reached and the meeting was adjourned, the proposal being made to hold a further conference tomorrow. A meeting of executive members of the union was held this afternoon to discuss the position, but no statement was forthcoming. The union, however, got into touch with the secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Federation, Mr J Roberts, of Wellington, and he is expected to arrive in Auckland in the morning to discuss the position further. Sailings Indefinite , The delay in a settlement has resulted in the shipping companies being placed in a quandary. With their ships due to leave direct for overseas or to go to other New Zealand ports to continue loading or discharging, they said they could not make many of their sailings definite. This, in turn, would react unfavourably upon those interests with valuable cargo either on board or due to be shipped, and it was essential that a settlement should be reached as soon as possible. ~ Provisional Dismissal Notices The unemployment of a number of men whose livelihood is dependent upon the regular working of ships in port was visualised by officials of several firms with interests on the waterfront. Already one firm has issued a provisional dismissal notice to its carriers, numbering about 50, and although other firms approached have not yet considered the question they said that such a course of action was a possibility if the dispute became indefinitely protracted. On behalf of the firm of Messrs J. J. Craig, Ltd., which does a proportion of the carrying work to and from the wharf sheds for loading and discharging of shipping, it was stated that a provisional week's notice as from last night had been issued as a precautionary measure to all its drivers. Only a few of the men were regularly employed doing wharf work, but action had been taken in case the dispute should make it necessary for the men who were paid weekly to be transferred to casual work. The notice was contingent upon the dispute continuing for at least another week, but if a settlement should be reached before next Tuesday the notice would automatically be cancelled. The amount of work done by the men on the wharf trucks naturally depended upon the amount of cargo to be handled and this was decreasing with the continuance of the stoppage on the waterfront. • Other carrying firms stated that no such action had as yet been taken by them. Harbour Board's Opinion "Are we to sit by and leave the question in the hands of those who interfere with the trade of the port with impunity?" observed Mr H. Luke at a meeting of the Auckland Harbour Board, when passing reference was made to the waterfront dispute. He asked whether the board should not have an interest in the matter in view of the fact that shipping was disorganised. Answering Mr R. T. Reid, who inquired if a settlement had been effected, the chairman, Mr T. Bloodworth, M.L.C., said there had been no official announcement to the board. He understood, however, that a conference had been held in the morning and another would be held to-morrow. Referring to Mr Luke's comment he said the board had a very direct interest in the dispute, but the present stage was not opportune to interfere as negotiations were proceeding between the parties directly concerned. At this time the board could give no real assistance. ANOTHER ASPECT MAINTAINING PASSENGER SCHEDULES SERIOUS CONFUSION INDICATED ' (Special to Daily Times) AUCKLAND, Dec. 7. Although the waterfront dispute has chiefly affected the discharge and loading of cargoes, the passage of days is focussing attention on the problem of maintaining passenger and mail connections, in which a more personal note is given to the deadlock. One of the chief topics of discussion in shipping circles to-day was the possibility of the Huddart Parker Company despatching its motor liner Wanganella to Sydney at the scheduled time of 3 o'clock to-morrow

afternoon regardless of whether the cargo has not been handled. The Wanganella arrived at Auckland this afternoon from Sydney and her mail was discharged immediately by Post Office employees. The tone of the situation to-day may indicate serious confusion to the Wanganella's schedule if she remains in port until the dispute is settled, and regard to this factor and to passengers and mails may result in the liner clearing port at her advertised time on Thursday. A cablegram giving instructions is expected to-morrow from the Melbourne office of the company. Only part of the cargo of the Shaw Savill and Albion Line's motor ship Waipawa has yet been loaded at Auckland, and to-day's rain further delayed her schedule. She is now expected to sail for London and Hamburg on Friday, and to maintain her schedule for cargo, mails and passengers she will now travel via Panama instead of Cape Horn. Originally expected to leave for Rarotonga and Island ports this afternoon, the Union Company's Matua has not yet been worked at Auckland. Her tentative departure time is now 5 o'clock on Thursday afternoon. This delay v/ill result in difficulty in again reverting to her close schedule and will affect many passengers. Van Rees Diverted The congestion in the port will be relieved by the decision reached to divert the South Pacific Line steamer Van Rees, due at Auckland on Thursday from Singapore and Eastern ports, to Wellington. The Van Rees would normally have visited Auckland and Wellington before returning to Singapore via Sydney, and she should now arrive here from Wellington about Monday. Ships of the South Pacific Line usually carry full passenger lists, and the Van Rees has a considerable quantity of cargo for Auckland, including sugar. Two Liaers Due on Monday Should no settlement have been reached by Monday the position will become intensified. Two liners will arrive that day—the Matson liner Monterey, en route from Sydney to San Francisco, and the CanadianAustralasian liner Niagara, en route from Vancouver to Sydney As the time is still some distance away no announcements regarding the maintenance of schedules have yet been made.