KARTIGI DISPUTE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20231, 15 February 1934, Page 3

KARTIGI DISPUTE.

Deadlock Continues as Men Refuse Work.

The inter-colonial steamer Kartigi was still lying idle this morning at Lyttelton owing to a labour dispute, concerning the engagement of an extra sheet-hand by the Railway Department. The vessel arrived at Lyttelton on Tuesday afternoon from Wellington to continue the discharging of cargo from South Australian ports. Labour was engaged, but the railway men before making a start demanded an extra sheet-hand. This request the department refused to accede to, on the contention that the usual number had been engaged, thus complying with the terms of the agreement. There is a clause in the agreement, however, by which the men can make an application for an extra hand if the work is considered too arduous, but they are supposed to contimie work while the matter is considered by the dispute committee. As the result of the hold-up it is understood that the local dispute committee held three meetings yesterday. It was expected that the men would have turned-to yesterday afternoon, on certain conditions having been agreed to, but the ship remained idle all last evening. Most of the ship’s hands having obtained other jobs yesterday, a fresh call was made this morning, and the necessary labour obtained, but as the railway hands still stood out, the deadlock continued.