UNLOADING OF GUANO

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22513, 22 September 1938, Page 4

UNLOADING OF GUANO

MEN CLAIM HIGHER WAGES

DIFFICULTY AT AUCKLAND FERTILISER WORKS

(fbess association telegram.)

AUCKLAND, September 21. Because a claim for pay above the award rates was men employed at the Kempthorhe, Prosser and Company’s fertiliser works at Westfield, and at the New Zealand Farmers’ Fertiliser Company’s Te Papapa fertiliser works, have refused to unload trucks, containing guano ■ brought .to Auckland last week in the Malaren. Kempthorne, Prosser and Company’s men refused to work last Monday, and the situation developed at the Te Papapa works this morning. Close on 100 railway trucks are held up in consequence of . the dispute, and it is said that they will be wanted when the Lindenhank arrives with fertiliser from Nauru Island on Sunday. Moreover, the guano now held is. used as a mixture with superphosphates that Would have been distributed for late dressings in the Waikato in the next week or so. , , ... ~ Trouble first occurred with the Malaren’s cargo last week, when the watersiders claimed, and obtained, extra rates for handling it. The standard rate for unloading trucks at the works is said to be 2s 3d an hour; but the claim made on Mondav at Westfield was for 3s an hour. It is understood that the employers at Westfield have made a court ter-offer, but so far this has ri<fi been accepted. Since Monday about 40 trucks have been unloaded at Te Papapa, arid the men refused work to-day. 7 ... , , The trouble at the two fertiliser works-, is confined to unloading operations only, at which a comparatively small number of men were engaged.