DOCKERS’ GOOD WORK

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 86, Issue 66, 19 March 1942, Page 5

DOCKERS’ GOOD WORK

BRITISH NORTH-WEST AREA Rugby, March 16. “Dockers’ Week” in the north-west area has been an unqualified success, said Mr. J. Gibson Jarvie, north-west regional port director, to-day. There were two main objectives—first, to show up any weaknesses in the organisation at the ports with a view to their removal or correction, and, second, to give the dockers a chance to add something to the war effort. “The dockers have responded well and established first-class records.” said Mr. Jarvie. “For the first time in the history of some ports in the area, not one man failed to return to his job. There were some days without‘a single broken guarantee.” Mr. Jarvie said that his return gesture was to be a “dockers' honour week,” during which no one could be disciplined, and if that week produced good results it would continue indetintely. Many outstanding records were established by gangs of dockers. At one blitzed dock gangs competed for a trophy—an enamel mug containing “The Ashes." At another berth 6400 boxes were stowed and 5326 boxes were delivered to carts in five working days. A gang of 14 men moved the 11,726 boxes. At one port 9,000,0001 b. of fish was handled in seven days, an average of 160 railway vans a day being used. In another instance five ships reported increased tonnage and all were ahead of schedule.—B.O.W.