NO SETTLEMENT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 November 1938, Page 6

NO SETTLEMENT

THE AUCKLAND WATERFRONT DISPUTE MEETINGS YESTERDAY. SITUATION AS IT WAS. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) ' AUCKLAND, November 8. After a three-hour meeting this morning of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union, when a recommenda : tion from its Dominion executive was discussed, the men did not return to work the affected ships on the Auckland waterfront. A brief meeting was held in the afternoon of the local disputes committee, but at its conclusion Captain Lewis, chairman of the Port of Auckland Shipping and Stevedores’ Association, and Mr R. G. Jones, union president, said that the position was unchanged. Neither could give any indication of the future trend of events. The dispute has now been in progress for six days and it is considered the situation is no nearer settlement than on Thursday.

MOVE BY IMPORTERS GOVERNMENT APPROACHED. SERIOUS EFFECT ON TRADE. AUCKLAND, November 8. In an effort to bring about an early settlement of the labour dispute on the Auckland waterfront, a meeting .of the Auckland Importers’ Association Ltd decided to take steps to bring the matter before the Government. Deep concern’ was expressed at the continued defloration of waterfront conditions, it being stated that as a result loss was being incurred both by the commercial community and the general public, and that the trade of the country as a Whole, was being daiYicig&d. The following telegram was sent to the New Zealand Importers’ Federate ion in Wellington:— “A meeting of our association held this afternoon requests you' to approach the appropriate Minister and urge an immediate resumption of work on the Auckland waterfront pending settlement of the dispute in a constitutional manner. The causes of the dispute are beyond our province, but the effect thereof is disastrous to. importers and the community generally. “The position will become more acute,” continued the telegram, “on the arrival of the Wanganella tomorrow with heavy cargo and limited port time. If the cargo is not unloaded it will be several weeks before it is back in Auckland. Please give urgent attention to this.” -Mr T. J. Spry, secretary of the Auckland Importers’ Association, said that though it was not for the association to suggest where the trouble lay, it wholeheartedly support the suggestion for the immediate appointment of a Royal Commission to investigate thoroughly waterfront conditions with a view to having them placed on such a basis that the community would be ensured of receiving from all interests concerned the service it was entitled to expect.