WELLINGTON DISPUTE SETTLED

Chronicle (Levin), 9 July 1946, Page 8

WELLINGTON DISPUTE SETTLED

WELLINGTON, July S. The shipping dispute over the lighttng and heating of crew accommodation on eoastal sliips, whicli commenced in Wellington last Wednesday, . was settled this afternoon. Confined originallv to four ships, the trouble spread to 26. A meeting of 500 members of the Seamen's Union was addressed by the president, Mr. P. P. Walsh, this morn- ! ing. It was afterwards agreed to take 1 the ships to sea subject to the question of improving the heating and lighting of ships in port being placed before a specia! tribunal. A statement was made by the Minister of Labour and Mariue, Ilon. J. O'Brien, that the tribunal is being set up under the strikes and lock outs emergency regulations. Unusual activity on the liarbour uiarked the end of the dispute. Between .'!..'50 p.m. and 5 p.m. there was a long | line of coasta-l vessels stretchiug down | Ihe liarbour. Between 3.40 p.m. when [ the first vessel to move, the Wainui, 1 left for Oamaru, and 7.45 p.m. when J the Wahine left for Lyttelton, 20 ships vaeated their berths. Of the four ships I around whicli the dispute lirst centred, ! onlv the Kaitoa was still in port toj night as. the resu'lt of two members of the crew being absent. The live days ' liold up in Wellington is e.vpected by the slii])ping companies ; to have an effect 011 the delivery of [ eoastal cargo for about a month or six weeks. The handling of the ships liad been slowed down prior to the dispute, by wet weather, at Lyttelton in particular.