THE UNLOCKING OF THE PORT.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1918, 28 November 1913, Page 8

THE UNLOCKING OF THE PORT.

70 NEW HANDS SIGN ON. CONGESTED SHEDS BEING RELIEVED. STATEMENT «V 'CAPTAIN" ■JOHNSTON'. It. was ofiieialy announced last even: iug tliat tiie membership of the new union had reached. 1520. During tlio day 79 new hands signed on, 12 of whom wore ex-strikers. The supply of labour was still unequal to the demand although fully 1100 men were employed. Many of the new hands are recent arrivals from Home mid there is also ii large percentage of men from the country who intend to work on the v hurres permanently.

It is estimated tliat fully 300 of tho original members of the now union have returned to their homes and work in rho country, leaving a balance of about 1220 to carry out the work on the wharves. As this is tho bv.sy season of the year, and also taking into consideration flint there is a large amount of work to lie caught tip, about another .'JiJO men are still required before all the necessary work can bo attended to. A f,oo!t at the Sheas, A visit to the Harbour Hoard's sheds will convince anyone who saw thorn it week ago that the congestion is being relieved. Some of tlio sheds on the Queen's Wharf are practically empty while others are only half-full of merchandise. Several hundreds of tons of transhipments have- been sent forward. Most of the cargo remaining is destined for West Coast ports. Now that carrying iirms are able to put on more lorries, town cargo is being carted away at a rapid rate. There, have, been some, slightly congested areas in tho siieds on the King's Wharf during tho past two or three days, but the Arawa has not discharged isny cargo whatsoever as yet. This fact has been responsible for much of the merchandise ex previous Home steamers being sent away. It is anticipated that during tho course of tho next, day or so these, particular sheds will be ready to receive shipments again. Harbourmaster Makes a statement Some comment has boon made regarding the statement tliat the port was ocuig run by tho emulovcrs' committee. Captain Johnston, "Harbourmaster, made the following statement in this connection to a reporter yesterday :—

.Since the committee has been visiting my room I bine found that thev are men of powerful intellect and ability. So far as I ain a.wnre all the ships have been berthed by tho committee under my direction's. I have had control of that part of tho business," It was ascertained from another reliable source that as far as the harbourmaster was concerned ho had had no instructions from the board that the committee had control of berthing ships. As a matter of fact tho whole question of berthage, during the- strike bus been m Ins hands. For the purpose of making adequate arrangements in regard to working cargo, however, the committee has met in the harbourmaster's room every afternoon, and a berthage list lias been made out daily under his direction. ~ Discharging, tha Arawa.

A\kli regard also to discharge of the Arawa s cargo, the position was explained to a reporter by the Harbourmaster. It appear* tliat before the vessel was brought to the wharf it was understood that she was to land pas-w-ngers' luggage, mails, and periodicals only. This course of action had been previously arranged, by Captain Evans, Marine Superintendent for the Shaw, Savill, and Albion Company. It was also arranged that the Arawa would remain at the wharf at the sole direction of Captain Evans. Jt. has been stated that the Arawa had discharged cargo. This is not a fact. The only packages landed from the liner, in addition to those already mentioned, were six pictures, which were destined for the Auckland Exhibition, These had heen ( stowed amongst some cases of periodicals, and instead of shifting thorn it was decided to land them oil the wharf right away, and thus expedite the work of putting out the periodicals. No shore hands were engaged, the work having been dono by the crew of the Arawa.

Ts'tiay's Berthage List. There will bo 28 vessels at the norths to-day, five of which will not be working cargo. The oversea steamer Remuera and the intercolonial trader Melbourne left for Lyttelton and northern ports respectively yesterday, and several coastal boats also departed. The new arrivals to-day will number nine. They aro as follow: —Maunganui, Tokowaru, Canada Cape, Manourika, Breeze, Opawa, Kennedy, Kaitoa, and Arapawa. Of tho latter tho Tnkomaru and Canada Cape are The former vessel will remain at anchor in the stream till to-morrow. To-day's berthage list is as follows: — Tons. Tons. Oorinthic 12.231 Kaitoa. 350 Opnwa 10.M0 IHncmoa 542 ,\rawa 9.372 Breer.o «7 ilauoganu! .... 7,52-7 Pntiki «3 Hturmfcls 5.7C0 Ar-apawa , MS Canada Cape... 4,2!6 John 242 Wairena 3,947 Kennedy 226 Hercules 3.789 Ktormbird 2i? W'ahiw 3,299 Queen o£ the Jl-iraroa 2.598 .South 19S Katapoi 2.'''f3 Jlnis- 127 'Kiimona 1.153 Manaroa 122 JTapouriko, 1.Z12 Opiuva HO Corinna 1.271 Falcon 95 I'olicrua 1.175 The number of vessels at anchor in the stream to-day will bo 11, four of these, however, iiavo been out of commission since before the strike.