WATERSIDE DISPUTE.

Wairarapa Age, 15 February 1936, Page 5

WATERSIDE DISPUTE.

GOVERNMENT ACTION SETTLES DISAGREEMENT. INVESTIGATION PROMISED. NEW PLYMOUTH, February 14. Government action settled the disagreement between the New Plymouth Watersiders’ Union and the Taranaki Producers’ Freezing Company Ltd., and the loading of dairy produce on the Fordsdale at the Port is now proceeding normally. On Thursday, the union took exception to the employment by the company in the Moturoa cool stores of two men who had worked as volunteer labour on the licensed Australian inter-colonial freighter Gabriella last month. The men were engaged in loading dairy produce from the stores into railway waggons for transport to the Port, an activity which the union countered by adopting “go slow” tactics. A statement was made to-night by the chairman of directors of the freezing company, Mr. L. J. Bundle. The company had carried out negotiations, said Mr. Rundle, and in addition, the chairman of the Dairy Poard, Mr. A. J. Murdoch had met the Prime Minister and the Minister of Marine in >- discussion on the board’s behalf. Instructions to suspend the two men to whom the Watersiders’ Union took exception until the Fordsdale had sailed in order that the vessel might resume the normal rate of loading were received by the company from the Ministers to-day. At the same time, an assurance was given by the Ministers that immediately the Fordsdale had completed working, the matter would be investigated. A stop work meeting was held by the union but no public statement was made. At three o’clock normal working was resumed and the Fordsdale is expected to sail for Bluff on Monday, having lost one working day.—(P.A.)