WATERFRONT DEADLOCK

Southland Times, Issue 19069, 2 March 1921, Page 5

WATERFRONT DEADLOCK

NO PROSPECT OF SETTLEMENT. GUARANTEE REFUSED BY WELLING. TON MEN. MEETING OF SEAMEN’S UNION. (Special to the Times). WELLINGTON, March k Hopes of an early settlement of the watef* side dispute are not bright to-day. The Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union met this morning and decided to continue refusing overtime and to support the Waterside Federation in. resisting the employers’ demand for a guarantee of normal working. The Seamen’s Union also met during the day, and although no official report is available there is a rumour that the seamen decided to support the watersider*. Nearly forty ships are now idle in Wellington, and the cost to the shipowners is many thousands of pounds a day, while the shortage of coal is becoming acute in the city. The coal miners have not yet made any further move. Mr P. O’Rourke, who represented the New Zealand miners at recent labour gatherings in Australia, including the One Big Union conference, stated in an interview here to-day that before the end of the year the miners, seamen, and railwaymen of Australia and New Zealand would be united in one organisation. He indicated that discussions had been proceeding. NO DEVELOPMENTS AT AUCKLAND. FEW MEN WORKING. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, March 1. There were no fresh developments on thf Auckland waterfpent to-day. A general meeting of watersiders will be held to-mor-row for the purpose of considering various aspects of the dispute. The number of watersiders employed on the wharves has gradually been decreasing until now only about 200 are working daily out of a total of 1400. Some 200 men havn accepted employment elsewhere.