DISPUTED HATCHES UN WHEAT SHIP

Wanganui Chronicle, 5 March 1948, Page 5

DISPUTED HATCHES UN WHEAT SHIP

(P.A.) Wellington, March 4. The chairman of the Waterfront Industry Commission (Judge Dalglish) stated to-night with reference to a request by tne Auckland branch of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Union to be allowed permission for an independent surveyor to inspect the hatches of the Mount Park that the Union Steam Ship Company o£ New Zealand Ltd., advised the commission on Wednesday morning that the company proposed to refuse this application because the hatches already had been certified sate to handle by a Marine Department surveyor of ships, and complied with the Marine Department regulations. 'lhe Commission considered there was no vilad reason why an independent surveyor, acting for the union, should not be allowed to inspect the hatches. However, the Commission had no authority to grant permission, or to withhold permission, this being the sole prerogative of the master or agent of the ship, but it recommended to the Union Steam Ship Co. Ltd., that the union’s surveyor should be allowed to inspect the hatches and suggested he should not be accompanied by either representatives of tne shipping company or of the union. At that time the Commission had no information that the union desired its solicitor to accompany the surveyor. The Union Steam Ship Co. Ltd. accepted the Commission’s recommendation, but when an application was made to the company’s branch manager at Auckland 1 lor the union’s solicitor to accompany its surveyor, this was refused. On the matter being brought before the notice of the Commission this morning, the Commission recommended to the Union Steam Ship Co-, Ltd, that it grant permission to the union’s solicitor to accompany the surveyor in inspecting the hatcl|?s. This recommendation was made to the company shortly after 10.30 a.m. and information was not received by the Commission approving the recommendation until 11.50 a.m., when the head office of the N.Z Waterside Workers' Union was advised accordingly. The information was immediately communicated to the Commission s branch manager at Auckland, who informed the local branch of the union and the branch manager of the Union Steam Ship Co, Lt’d. This ini'formation was conveyed to the union shortly after noon, and as a number of men employed on the Union Steam • Ship Company’s vessels had gone home and that the company's vessels were not worked this afternoon, it is expected that normal work will resume on the company’s vessels as from 8 a.m. to-morrow.