SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23718, 27 January 1939, Page 6

SHORTAGE OF LABOUR

THE WELLINGTON WATERFRONT BIG TONNAGE IN PORT (Per United Press Association) WELLINGTON. Jan. 26. The last few days have been busy ones on the Wellington waterfront, and yesterday there was a shortage of labour. This became more acute to-day with 13 ships, an unusually large number, arriving this morning. The gross tonnage of shipping in the harbour to-day was 156.362, and the net tonnage 90,219. Nine overseas liners and intercolonial traders, as well as a number of coastal ships provided plenty of work yesterday, and there were not enough men to cope with it. Several vessels had to go short of labour, and the City of Manchester, which arrived from Auckland late in the morning with New York cargo for discharge, was forced to remain idle all day. This morning the Shaw Savill liner Tamaroa arrived from London, and the Maimoa, owned by the same company, arrived from Lyttelton to continue her loading. The Orari, loading for the New Zealand Shipping Company, arrived from Wanganui, and the Kaikorai from Sydney and Matua from Auckland arrived for the Union Company. A large number of non-union men. all that were availably were put on to-day, but still many of the ships were short. About 200 more men would be needed to cater for all the ships. As each ship finishes the men are being sent to other vessels, and it is hoped the position will soon be back to normal.

There were 33 ships in the port to-day, and although this number has been equalled before it is not often that there are so many in at once. To make matters worse, 11 of them were overseas and intercolonial boats.