GRAVE CONCERN

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 247, 18 October 1937, Page 6

GRAVE CONCERN

SHIPPING DELAYED HOLD-UP AT WELLINGTON WELLINGTON, Oct. 16. Major shipping companies in Wellington to-day expressed grave dissatisfaction with the present conditions of waterside work, and it was stated that if the position did not improve considerably in the near future an increase of freight rates would have to be brought into operation to combat the high costs of working the ships while in port. The question has been brought a head by the decision of the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Union to refuse to work ships in port this afternoon. The reason given was that tht waterside workers wished to attend the funeral of a watersider who was acidentally Killed on the wharf while Gn gagod in working the Karamea. Therefore the decision was reached to cease all work on the waterfront at noon to-day, instead of continuing until 5 p.m. as is provided for under the award.

It is apparent that the five hours delay in the loading and unloading or ships at Wellington will result in considerable congestion early next week, a shortage of labour being accompanied by a lack of berths for the large amount of shipping and also a lack of space in the wharf sheds for the stowage and handling of cargo. The award, which has been drafted as a result of agreement between the shipping companies and the waterside workers’ representatives, states that (payment on Saturdays is to be time and a-quarter from 8 a.m. to noon, and special overtime from 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. The departure of the Wainui for Napier and Gisborne has been postponed till to-morrow. The Wingntui. employed in the West Coast coal trade, is unable to leave for Westport till to-morrow afternoon and the Union Company’s transpacific trader Limerick’s departure for New Plymouth also has been delayed till tomorrow night after having been delayed a fortnight at Gisborne recently through labour troubles. The Karepo again suffered loss of time in the discharge of her cargo of coal. MINISTER INTERVIEWED LABOUR DEPARTMENT NOT TAKING ACTION \ Per Press Associat’un. ] CHRISTCHURCH, Oct. 17. “It always has been the practice of the watersiders in Wellington to take time off to attend the funeral of a comrade killed on the job,” said the 'Minister of Labour (Hon. H. T. Armstrong), commenting on the Wellington delay on Saturday. Representatives of Wellington shipowners had referred the workers’ decision to him, he said. Similar time had been taken off frequently in the past. Mr Armstrong also said that in some mines the miners took time off from the time of the death to the funeral. The Labour Department was not contemplating any action.