COMPLETE BLOCKADE

Chronicle (Levin), 4 March 1948, Page 5

COMPLETE BLOCKADE

( N.Z.P.A . — R&lLler-

Other States Enter Dispute In Queensland

Coxtnright)

Ii'ccci vcd Wednesduy, p.ni. SYDix'i-.Y, Alurrli 3. A '•oinjdft c Idocuidv on ilu> eari-iagv oi gnodN and passcngers by rail 7 , iKi' a mu iid I'roin Kew Soitth Wales, ha-, been apj>ro\ed by the Staie executi oi ihe .uisi ra..aii Kailways I'uion anu uili i'n:i!i' iiiiu i Di'ce on J-'nday. Tlie de ei>. > i i i.-i iiuh being disrussed with o L Jios iini his and a speeiai meeting of tio Ae\. ,S(,urli Wales land tran.sport grouu will be asked lo'iaorrow to endorse tiu blm kude. 1.1 -Me'iiourue 1oday the Auslralian 1 oi. ieii oi Trade I'liions decided not to intii .ene in the dispute at pi'esent. > J iie l'edeial exeeutive of the Trans pori Workers' L'nion directed its Sta.e braiieiies not to beeonie invoIve. in the yi'.een.sland strike and to awai. 1 h( deeision of the council. 1 ae railway position in Vietoria re niamed normal loday and- goods were aeeij.teil for (jueensland. in Brisbane watersiders ignored a direetiou by tlie Stevedoring Jndustr. 'oiniiiission to return to \york. Thi', n-lusal nieuns that an e/rective sea Idoekade" ha-; been imposed. A dispute wiiieli began a few davs ago \\ hen .Syoiiey watersiders refusen to obey a direetiou of the Stevedoring Jndustry Loinniission to handle sling's Oi 1(> bags og. sngar, suddenly spread today to all eentres on the Sydney waterfroni. Ihe v.atersiders now suspended for rol'using to uork total 2>.->) and the number will .nerease daily as nien report for realloeat ion. Hiipping otiieiahs fear the Svdnev v.-iteifrout will be idle by Ihe end oi Ihe week. Although oi ships applied lot iabour loday iliere was no respon.se. '1'lie onlv sliijjs working are those eom pletinji- Joading or diseharging. 'The Comniission ordered the water siders 1o load 1 ( j bags of sugar into > sling imtead of 12, in an attempt to raise the (Hseliarge rate to 2d tons hour ly. This would niean that e;ieh nian wonhl handle abont 2i tons houidv.