AUCKLAND WHARF DISPUTE CONTINUES

Grey River Argus, 6 April 1948, Page 5

AUCKLAND WHARF DISPUTE CONTINUES

AUCKLAND April 5. The inability of the Auckland Port Committee of the Waterfront Industry Commission to meet because the Watersiders Union has not permitted its representatives to attend, is alleged to be a sequel to a recent personal dispute between the chairman of the committee, Mr W. J. Cuthbert, who is the Auckland branch manager of the Waterfront Industry Commission, and Mr H. Barnes, president of the union. This dispute and the inability of the Fort Committee to function will be considered by the full Waterfront Industry Commissiion when it visits Auckland for the first time this week. Owing to the extreme shortage of coal for railways Government, sanction was sought to-day for a berthage priority for the Broom Park to unload 9000 tons of coal from Britain. '''The berthage position at the moment is acute,” said a harbour board official. "No berth will be available for the Broom Park before the end of the week.” Auckland Watersiders.-— No swing from last, year’s control of the Auckland Watersiders’ Union is shown in the results of the election by secret ballot of the union’s executive, all members of last -ear’s committee who stood being re-elected. The only members of last year’s executive who did not stand was Mr N. Donaldson, who successfully, centered the Vice-presidency against Mr Alex Drennan. Two of the nine members of last year’s executive are members of the Communist Party. In some trade circles, the defeat of Mr Drennan is now regarded not so much as a vote against the Communists as a personal vote. Mr Drennan failed to retain office by only about 36 votes. —Auckland. Anril 5.