INACTION FOR 63 DAYS.

Chronicle (Levin), 2 May 1947, Page 8

INACTION FOR 63 DAYS.

WELLINGTON, May 1. J What used to be kn'own, "to the keeii! appreciation of WellingtoniaYis ai'nured| to a fickle climate, as, Wanganellaj weather has now -been corrupted to! Wanganella whether, according to a sad. quip which is enjoying a modest .cur-. rency. Today is an anniversary oti sorts. It is, in fact, the sixty-third dayj of inaetion on board the Wanganella' since she has beeii on the floating doek; — a complete' nine weeks of idleness,' during. which repeated distussions, oc easional proposals, consultations be tween emplpyers and unions, arguments about terms and procedute, and approaches to the Government have failed to bring nearer the day when the liner will return to service. Today found representatives of 'the interested unions onee again in c/onference at the Trades Hall. They met for nearly one and a half hours to continue diseussions which last'ed for two and tliree-quarter hours on Tiresday. After the meeting rose, it was repo.rted that there was no decision to annoiince, and the diseussions were li'kely to be tesumed in the near future. It is understood that the nature of the future diseussions will be governed substantially by a'hy decision annbunc" ed by the Government in an etfort to resolve the Wanganella hold-up and to restore to operation the works ;Of the repair eontraetors, William Cable and Company, Limited. Comnion 'Ground. Among the unionists, ahd among the employers, too, there seems to be an impression that 8, Government announcement is to "be expected at any moment. In tliis a'espect, the employers and the- uniofts ap.pear to !be on common ground by indicating that they will.welcome some decisi-on by tlie Government. At the 'moment, botli sides are in the conditiOn of uncertainty which has characferised the "Wanganella affair through out. Tt is evident that both sides are getting more than a little tired of continued indecision. A stumbling block from the union point of view is the Government decision that work on the Wanganella must begin again before the tribunal resumes its hearings. Tt is -understood that. the nrocedure before the tribunal r-eeeived attention at today 's conference. Meanwhile, 1here is some speculation about letters addressed yesterday after noon' to Mr. .lameS Gable, managing director of Cable and Companv, bv the secretary of the Wellington Boiler makers' ancl Metalworkers' Assis'tants ' TTnions (Mr. P. E. WarneT") and the sec retarv of the Wellington Englne'ers' TTnion (Mr. C. G. Caswell). These were in reply to the lett.er sent by the firm to the secretaries of seven unions stat ing that the workers had given 110 rftason to justifv their wholesale resigna tions, and asking the union secretaries to advise the company o.f any question® 1 within its powcr to correct. The two unions which have replied -have raised a number of issues, and, in particnlar unsatisfactory conditions which they claim have existed 'at. the works.