WATERFRONT DISPUTE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVIII, Issue 49, 26 January 1938, Page 11

WATERFRONT DISPUTE

BEEF LEFT ON WHARF. AWKWARD SITUATION. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, Jan. 25. The loading of one of the largest shipments of chilled beef to have been handled in the port of Wellington was interrupted this evening, when wharf labourers walked off the Port Line steamer Port Campbell and left the best part of 1000 quarters of beef to spoil on the quay. Trie ship’s crew were expected to work throughout the night in an effort to save the valuable cargo.

The Port Campbell arrived at Wellington on Sunday evening and berthed at King’s Wharf. She was to load about 4000 quarters of chilled beef, a big shipment, the usual being about 1000. Some of the meat had been railed from as far as Wairoa, in northern Hawke’s Bay. Because of the rough weather on Monday it had to remain standing in the trucks and its loading to-day became a matter of some urgency, to-morrow being the wharf holiday for the annual waterside workers’ picnic. There were still about 1000 quarters to load at tea time to-day and the gangs were ordered to continue working through the tea hour to get the last of the meat aboard before the holiday. The Port Campbell is scheduled to sail to-morrow morning for Napier, returning to Wellington next week to take on board the last of her cargo for London.

One of the gangs declined to work during the tea interval and was in consequence dismissed immediately. Shipping company officials stated to-night that it was within the scope of the award for the men to. be called upon to work in the tea hour in such circumstances. However, a scratch gang, consisting of members of the ship's crew, was called upon to carry on the loading of the particular hatch concerned. At this the remainder of the watersiders left the Port Campbell and declined to work her further. As it was certain that the remainder of the beef, nigh on a thousand quarters, would spoil if left on the wharf, a single gang comprising about 30 members of the ship’s crew set to work on an all-night job of finishing the loading. By 10.30 o’clock there were still some 600 quarters on the wharf and it was calculated that the task of loading would continue until daylight to-morrow morning. The ship was still expected to sail to-morrow morning for Napier. At a late hour a handful of workers' were still toiling steadily in the yellow lamplight, but there were a very considerable quantity of beef and a number of. truckloads still awaiting shipment. Company officials expressed disgust that a valuable cargo of primary produce for export should be the cause of a trivial dispute and be left to spoil or deteriorate considerably in value if it had to be frozen instead of being transported chilled.