DISCHARGE OF LUMBER

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19882, 8 March 1939, Page 14

DISCHARGE OF LUMBER

WATERSIDERS’ REPLY FAULTY. STOWING (lIAUGE CAUSES OF DELAY (Per Press Association.) AUCKLAND, this day. Complaints concerning the working of the British steamer Loch Don at Auckland, expressed by the master, Captain Beaten, in a cable message from Sydney, were replied to by the press committee of the Auckland Waterside Workers' Union. The master of the ship stated that undue time was taken in the discharge of lumber from Vancouver while the steamer was in port here. “When officials visited the ship,’ stated the union, “it was found that heavy logs were stowed aft while the smaller sawn timber was in Lite forward hatches. The logs had to be dumped over the rail, and it was then found that the sawn timber had been loaded so as to project above the rails —a custom allowed on ships leaving American ports but not from British. This timber had to be cleared to allow the winches to be worked properly. Replacement of Gear “It was then found that certain parts of the Loch Don’s cargo gear had to be replaced. At the time there was great congestion in port and the steamer was berthed at Western Wharf, and this factor, together with bad stowing and faulty gear, made for delay. In any case, Captain Beaten, had the opportunity of using two wharf cranes, but he refused to allow them to be used.” Commenting on the comparison made by the ship’s master on the rate of loading at Vancouver with the rate of discharge at Auckland, the union stated that the timber was loaded while working day and night at Vancouver. Captain Beaten did not allow overtime at Auckland, and work ceased each day at 5 p.m. In conclusion, the committee stated that the waterside workers wanted io co-operate in all matters on the waterfront.