COASTAL SHIPS HELD UP

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXV, Issue 19622, 3 May 1938, Page 6

COASTAL SHIPS HELD UP

OFFICERS’ CONFERENCE NEW AGREEMENT TERMS RUNNING RESUMED (Pur Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Five small coastal vessels which were to have left Wellington yesterday did not sail for a most unusual reason. This morning, the masters and officers of the vessels and of several others, in port, met to discuss the terms of the new agreement to replace the one which expired on March 31 last, and decided to have a further discussion of the owners’ proposals and the situation generally to-morrow morning with the masters and officers of a further four coastal vessels which are due in Wellington to-morrow morning. The vessels, however, resumed running l'ollowing a meeting of masters and officers which rose at noon. Negotiations are proceeding. A similar position exists at Auckland, but other ports are unaffected. The vessels affected at Wellington are (lie Kaitoa, Gale, Kapiti, Hawera. and Echo. The Nelson ferry steamer Matangi was not affected and sailed as usual. The Union Steam Ship Company ships are not affected as .the masters and officers of that company work under a separate agreement, but all coastal shipping companies owning small vessels are covered by the agreement under dispute.