UNDUE CONGESTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26717, 11 March 1948, Page 8

UNDUE CONGESTION

PORT OF AUCKLAND VALUABLE TIME LOST OUTCOME OF MOUNTPARK DISPUTE P.A. AUCKLAND, Mar. 10. Unless the present position can be altered and normal waterfront working hours resumed it will be necessary to give serious consideration to despatching food ships to Brilain before their cargo capacity is completely filled with needed produce, stated Captain R. S. Lewis, chairman of the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores’ Association. Captain Lewis said that this step might have to be taken to avoid further congestion for subsequent loadings. The New Zealand Shipping Company’s motor ship Orari, which was expected at Auckland from Newport. Monmouthshire, on Sunday, with general cargo, is now being sent to Port Chalmers. An official of the company stated that the ship was being diverted to the South Island as the result of a change in her loading programme. The Orari was originally listed to discharge her cargo at Auckland and remain here to take a full loading for London and Liverpool. It is understood that the ship’s freight will be transhipped from Port Chalmers. Another 80 members of the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers’ Union were placed on penalty, for two days to-day for refusing to accept engagement on the preference ship Mountpark. The total at present under penalty is now about 300. Following the departure to-day of the overseas ships Port Halifax and Kelvinbank. many more unionists will be given an opportunity to-morrow to accept a call for the Mountpark. Delays to locally-controlled shipping, particularly trans-Tasman and coastaJ vessels, were proving serious, said Mi E. C. Boscke. manager of the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores’ Association. Ten vessels had so far lost an average of nine working days. To this extent the local shipping industry was precluded from the use of ships, and as a result cargo for shipment to New Zealand was banking up in Australia and cargo for coastwise carriage was banking up throughout New Zealand.

“This is creating,” he said, “an accumulation which, in the face of - the slow turn-round of vessels generally, cannot be overtaken for several months to come. In the meantime all manner of disabilities are likely to be experienced by the genera! public throughout the Dominion. Factories may be held up by shortage of an essential item of raw material, urgently required finished articles cannot be distributed for consumption, and produce such as potatoes may become in short supply. Already sugar is awaiting shipment at Auckland and is no longer available in some southern parts of the Dominion. “These troubles are now inevitable,” concluded Mr Boscke, “but they would be limited were the walersiders to resume and continue to work in the manner prescribed in the standing orders of the Waterfront Commission.”