WATERFRONT COMMISSION IS EMPOWERED TO CARRY ON

Wanganui Chronicle, 28 June 1948, Page 4

WATERFRONT COMMISSION IS EMPOWERED TO CARRY ON

Guaranteed Wages Suspended In Auckland

(Press Association) AUCKLAND, June 27 The first effects of the decision of the Waterfront Industry Commission to declare the idle freighter Mountpark a preference ship will be felt on the Auckland waterfront this week

Until the Auckland waterside workers resume working on the ship no labour will be engaged' for newly arrived vessels. The commission will make an exception for certain cargoes, but each ship will be dealt with separately and a working priority wi'l be issued on a strictly limited basis. Two executive developments in the dispute occurred in Wellington at the week-end. Amending regulations approved bv the Executive Counci' atered the quorum of the Waterfront Industry Commission and enabled business to proceed in spite of the absence of the two union representatives. This was followed by ■ Commission decision to suspend payment of the guaranteed daily attendance money and guaranteed weekly wages on (he Auckland waterfront. The withdrawn, of the dai'y minimum payment of 7s 5d is regarded as an imnortant machinery measure in the enforcement of the Commission's preference decision. Because permission was given by the Commission on Saturday for labour priorities to be granted to several ships, no vessels, apart from the Mountpark, will be completely idle at the wharves tomorrow. After 40 replacement men have been provided on a number of ships a limited number of grab men will be granted the collier Kaimiro to enable her to dis-

charge urgently-needed gas coal. The Federal Line steamer Cornwall, which berthed on Friday, will be given one .gang to land mail from Britain, ano the steamer Harpagon. which also berthed on Friday, will have two gangs to land mail and 16,000 cases of oranges Irom Sydney. The heavy general cargo carried by both ships will not be touched. The liner Rimutaka, which is changing from discharging to loading for Britain, will be allowed a labour adjustment for produce gangs. When these requirements have been fil.ed a call will be made for 86-men for the Mountpark. Those unionists who have not been engaged will return without dai.y attendance money. Although work will proceed normally on the refraining ships a few vessels will be only partly manned. These will include the Korowai and the Koromiko, which have large shipments of southern potatoes. Because they were at restricted berths only one gang was employed on each when the preference order was Issued. As a result of the decision no extra labour can now be engaged. "When the Government decided to declare the Mountpark a preference Ship, it was apparent that the port of Auckland would become completely idle within 10 days,” said Mr. T. Hili, secretary of the New Zealand Water- [ side Workeis’ Union( who was asked. 1 tonight to comment on the developments at Auckland. "The order cancelling the guaranteed minimum wage of £5 has probably originated from the same source as the order declaring the Mountpark I a preference ship,” said Mr. Hill.