WHARF CRISIS.

Taranaki Daily News, 22 February 1921, Page 5

WHARF CRISIS.

WELLINGTON DEADLOCK. FOURTEEN SHIPS IDLE. PARTIAL STOPPAGE AT DUNEDIN. By Telegraph.-—Press Association. Wellington, Feb. 21. There is no change in the position at the waterfront, and there are fourteen vessels and about 600 watersiders idle. The employers are evidently anticipating a continuance of the deadlock, for they are making arrangements to remove all idle boats into the stream. No communication has yet been received from the Watersiders’ Federation. Dunedin, Feb. 21. The position on the Dunedin waterfront is practically unchanged. No fresh labor has been engaged to-day, and about 200 men are idle. The men employed on the Sealda, Corinna and Calm are working normally. The steamers idle ta-day are the Kaiapoi, Tarawera and Te Anau. POSITION OF THE RAILWAYS. AMPLE STOCKS OF COAL. The interference with the discharge of coal at the ports will not involve any early reduction of railway sendees. The Railway Department’s stocks of coal are larger at present than they have been for some time past, owing to the active policy of the Department in the purchase of coal since the acute shortage of last year. A prolonged; stoppage of work on the wharves would involve the reduction of railway services, but such a reduction need not be feared in thenear future.

The Welsh coal bought by the New Zealand Government is not expected to commence arriving for some time yet, and none of it is likely to be here before the end of the waterside dispute.