WHARF STRIKE CAUSES DETERIORATION IN SYDNEY'S FOOD SUPPLY

Chronicle (Levin), 22 March 1947, Page 5

WHARF STRIKE CAUSES DETERIORATION IN SYDNEY'S FOOD SUPPLY

Received Friday, 9.45 p.m. ; SYDKEY, March 21. An other attempt to seftle Ihe Sydney waterside strike is being made at- a serics ot' conferences with fhe Min.ster of ttupply and Shipping, Senator Ashley. Members oi' the Stevedoring .Industry Coinmission and Waterside Workers' Federation are being consultcd by the Minister who flew to Sydney to endeavour to rench a formula oi' .settlenient. Any such 1'ormula cannot be ratified without a mass meeting \ of watersiders, antf it is improbable that a meeting oi' tliat kind could l)e lield bet'ore Monday. The sinkers now ha\e strengthened their pieket lines and are organising food reliel' and propaganda. More than 300 police wero 011 iuty at Ihe Town Ilall tliis al'ternoon i'or a publie meeting oi protest agaiust strikes and the holding nj) oi" food. The meeting, which was attended by more than 3000 people, passed without incident. Tlie Sydnev president of ihe Watersiders' Federation (Mr. W. Coglilan) tohi members not to go near the meeting whieh was called by the Opposition leader (Mr. Tre/(tt) and appealed to them to avoid any possibility oi troulile. Meanwhile a t'ast fleet oi motor trucks is bring'ng essential eonnnodities i'rom other States into Sydnev. The prineipal goods reaeliing eity ])y rond are salt. eliemieals. potatoes and other vegetables, boots. shoes and clotliing. Despite this Ihe l'ood position is deteriorating and illegnl prices are rising. • Melbourne union leaders elaim that all the Vietorian train services will be at a standstill within a week. - As part of the move to extend the metal trade dispute about 4000 Melbourne members oi the Amalgamated Engineering Union in addition to those alreadv 011 strike will leave their jobs within the next 24 hours. These men are employed in the railwa.v, tramway and State electricity ( 'onimission workshops, powerhouses and gasworks. The weekend stoppagex will bring the total number oi engineers on strike to about 10,000.