CARGO HANDLING

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20731, 19 May 1937, Page 14

CARGO HANDLING

ALLEGATIONS BY FARMERS By Telegraph—Press Association AUCKLAND, May 18 “There seems to be an entire lack of co-operation between the shipping companies and the waterside workers,” said the president, Mr Mellsop, in his opening address at the Provincial Conference of the Farmers’ Union. He said the position on the waterfront was a matter which was giving the Union very great concern, and the Cabinet had been asked to hold an inquiry. “When we are told that the cost of handling cargo in Auckland Is at least double what it is In Sydney.” said Mr Mellsop—"when we are told by the Australian Press that the Matson Line are now half ‘turning their ships round’ in Sydney Instead of Auckland—when we are told that cargo which took 21 days to load in

Auckland was discharged in London in 3J hours, you will admit that our case for Inquiry is a good one. We are further told that the number of freight carcases loaded per day two years ago, was 4200, while at the present time it is 3500—that two years aga 800 boxes of butter were loaded in an hour, but at present 500 to 600 per hour is the usual rate. This is a matter that concerns the primary producer most, but concerns everyone Jo some degree."