POST OF HAROUR MASTER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26176, 12 June 1946, Page 3

POST OF HAROUR MASTER

INTERVIEW WITH APPLICANT ARRANGED

At the last meeting of the Oamaru Harbour Board, Captain C. A. Barker, assistant harbour master at Westport, was offered the position of harbour master at Oamaru, subject to a personal interview, and a special meeting of the board was held yesterday morning to deal With the matter.

Mr W. M. Cooper (chairman) presided, and there were also present—just constituting a quorum—Messrs D. K. McKenzie, A. MacMillan, D. S. Bain, W. E. Aubrey , and F. Hood.

A letter was received from Captain Barker, in which he pointed out that he could not visit Oamaru for some weeks, as the harbour master at Westport was on holiday. He also raised the question of salary and other details of the appointment.

Correspondence was received from the Harbour Boards’ Industrial Union of Employees and the Merchant Service Guild Industrial Union of Workers, in connection with an application for an award applying to all harbour masters, deputy harbour masters, pilots, assistant pilots and masters of harbour board tugs. The proposed salary for Oamaru was £650, increased to £750 if overseas ships are catered for. Mr Cooper expressed the opinion that an increase in salary would mean calling for new applications. Mr Bain moved that the appointment be made subject to a personal interview, when details could be discussed with Captain Barker. They could postpone the next meeting of the board on July 2 to July 9, and they should ask Captain Barker to be at the meeting on July 9. Mr Aubrey seconded the motion. Mr Hood favoured an immediate appointment without a personal interview, but later withdrew his opposition to the motion. Mr Cooper said that in future the board would be bound by the award. Mr Bain gave notice of motion to rescind the resolution making superannuation compulsory for the board's, staff. Mr Bain’s motion for a personal interview on July 9 was carried unanimously. Mr MacMillan moved, and it was seconded by Mr Aubrey, that Captain I. L. Russell be released from the position of harbour master at once, and that Mr R. Cardno be appointed assistant harbour master in the interim, until the appointment of a harbour master was made.—The motion was carried unanimously. The board objected to the amount of salary for a harbour master at Oamaru under the proposed award and agre?ed to be cited under the Industrial Conciliation and Arbitration Act.