WHARF HOLD-UP

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19892, 21 March 1939, Page 6

WHARF HOLD-UP

SETTLEMENT LIKELY REPORT OF CONFERENCE MINISTERS AND MEN FOUR-HOUR SESSION (Special to the Herald.) WELLINGTON, this day. A four hours' stop-work meeting held by the Wellington watersiders in the Tivoli Theatre to-day ended at noon with the report that the trouble was likely to be permanently settled. The Minister of Labour and the Minister of Marine, the Hon. P. Eraser, attended at 8 a.m. and remained throughout the proceedings which, by decision of the meeting was not open to the press. Further information regarding the settlement is awaited, the Ministers concerned having submitted a report to the Cabinet meeting called after the conference had ended. Over 800 watersiders attended. Admission was by union ticket. One hundred or more watersiders were unable to get in, the theatre only seating about 500 which meant that about 250 or more were already standing and there was no room for more.

Interviewed before entering the building, Mr. Webb said he would make a -statement after the meeting. He was accompanied 'by his privatesecretary. Normal work will be resumed on the waterfront at 1 o'clock. Most of the men concerned in the dismissals in the past few days will be eligible for re-engagement, 'but owing to the increasing congestion of the port there will be a marked shortage of lahour. '» WATERFRONT WORK SUPPORT FOR CHANGES TAKAPAU FARMERS' UNION (Per Press Association.) .DANNEVIRKE, this day. At a meeting, the Takapau branch of the 'Farmers' Union pledged its support to the Dominion executive in any action it may deem necessary to improve the standard of work on the waterfront. FARMERS MAKE OFFER IMMEDIATE ACTION PLAN (Special to (lie Herald.) MASTERTON, this day. After discussing the hold-up on the Wellington waterfront, the Wairarapa provincial executive of the New Zealcj.id Farmers' Union yesterday forwarded the following telegram to the Prime Minister. Mr. Savage:— "In facing the serious position which has arisen through the hold-up of our primary produce, the farming industry is also confronted with prolonged drought conditions —supplementary fattening crops poor and delayed resulting in a hold-over of stock —a glut of meat in all freezing works and serious financial loss to farmers. "Realising that the Government must assume full and firm direction of the impasse caused by the action of the watersiders, the Wairarapa executive of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, in session to-day, unanimously resolved to offer all services at its command to the Government in restoring full overseas loading operations. "The urgency of immediate action is stressed by this executive."