Watersiders' Talks Attended By Austraiians

Chronicle (Levin), 5 December 1949, Page 6

Watersiders' Talks Attended By Austraiians

Press AssociationJ

(Per

WELLINGTON, Dec. 4. Added interest is given the biennial eonference of the New Zealand Waterside Workers' Union beginning in Wei- . lington on Tuesday by the fact that it is to be attended by two principai iigures on the Australian waterfront. They are the president of the Australian Watersiders'' Federation, Mr J. Loner"gan, and the general-secretary, Mr 'J. H,ealey, who will travel from Sydney to Auckland on Tuesday by Trans-Tas-man flyingboat. Mr Healey, it will be reealled, was invofved in the reeent sensational events pa Sydney following raids by the police on Communists and sympath- • isers. Both ofiicials will be in New Zealond when the Australian election is held next Friday. The biennial eonference of watersiders will be the largest ever held, there being SS delegates. Representatives will be present from the new affiliation at Portland. The eonference is a policy one at which important decisions will be made particularly in view of the eleetiOn result. President H. Barnes and national secretary T. Hill will present reports and remits will be eonsidered from various branches. Important decisions are expeeted to conie from this eonference but their^full implication is unlikely to be known for ■ several montlis until the general idustrial movement has settled down ana -aligned itself in a new role as the result of the def eat of the Labour Government.