Harbour Board Member Lifts A Hatch On Mountpark

Wanganui Chronicle, 30 June 1948, Page 4

Harbour Board Member Lifts A Hatch On Mountpark

(P.A.) Auckland, June 29 Taking the view that he would like to know what he was talking about, an Auckland Harbour Board member, Mr. C. Roose, paid an unofficial visit to the idle wheat ship Mount park this morning and "unofficially” lifted one of the disputed hatches single handed. For five weeks members of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union have refused to lift the hatches on the ground that mechanical aids should be supplied. To a startled meeting of the Harbour Board in the afternoon Mr. Roose revealed his action. “What is being done about the Mountpark?” he asked. "I have lifted the hatch and put it back with ease. I could have moved the whole lot in 20 minutes #:i my own. It is time that something was done about it.” “I have been tempted to go down myself,” said the chairman. Mr. J. Melling, “but the board cannot take part in the Mount park dispute.” The board was in the hands of the Waterfront Industry Commission and the Government? added Mr. Melling. who said he sincerely hoped the matter had now come to a head. Mr. Roose who represents the Hamilton City and boroughs of Te Awamutu, Cambridge and Ngaruawahia on the board is manag-ing-director of the Roose Shipping Co., Ltd., or Mercer.

After the board meeting he returned to the Mountpark and in the presence of a “Herald.” reporter and a photographer, again lifted the hatch, one of the largest hashes on the ship. It was 10ft. long and 20in. wide, and about 2 Jin. deep, and weighed about. 1301 b. Normally it would be moved by two men. He moved it without difficulty, and in spite of a strong wind held it for some time before placing it back. “And I have not done any hard work for years. I am getting on in years, but it would not take much of a man to lift the hatch,” staged Mr. Roose, who is aged 61. “There is no argument about it, it is just silly.”