STILL NO WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 November 1938, Page 7

STILL NO WORK

THE AUCKLAND WATERFRONT HOIJTUP

ANOTHER MEETING OF MEN TODAY. MR J. ROBERTS TO ATTEND. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 11. Though further efforts were made today to reach a settlement in the Auckland waterfront dispute, the position of stalemate continues and there is no indication of when work on the many idle ships in port is likely to oe begun. A meeting of the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union was held this norning, but once again the men decided not to return to work on the employers’ terms. Later in the mornng Mr J. Roberts, secretary of the New Zealand Waterside Workers’ Federation, arrived from Wellington and during the day he discussed the posi;ion with local union officials. A fur.her meeting of the men will be held in the morning when Mr Roberts will be present. One more overseas vessel, the motor ship Speybank, arrived this afternoon from Pacific Coast, Canadian and American ports. As no berth was available, she anchored in the stream.

Even if a settlement is reached tomorrow, the congestion will have reached a serious state by Monday, when three passenger ships will arrive. The Monterey will pass through an her voyage- from Sydney to San Francisco, the Niagara will arrive from Vancouver, and the Dutch motorship Maetsuycker will arrive from Saigon, French Indo-China. Two passenger ships, Wanganella and the Matua, are still held up in Auckland and arrangements for their sailings for Sydney and the islands respectively are still indefinite.

It is now considered unlikely that the Shaw, Savill and Albion liner Mataroa can leave for Southampton and London before Wednesday, which will be nearly a fortnight behind her original schedule.

After discharging a quantity of her coal cargo by grabs, the Westport Coal Company's collier Canopus sailed on her return to Westport this afternoon, taking a considerable quantity of her inward consignment. Though a proportion of the cargo could be handled by cranes and grabs, union labour was required for the remainder. To bring dairy produce from Thames, the Northern Company’s motor-vessel Pono left without outward cargo. The company has a small permanent staff which is concentrated in handling inward perishable goods. Realising that it will be impossible to berth the vessel, the Auckland agents of the Hamburg Amerika steamer Gera, which was expected here. from New Orleans on Monday, instructed her by wireless to reduce speed.

TELEGRAM TO PREMIER. < MANUFACTURERS’ APPEAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 11. The shipping hold-up in Auckland was the subject, of a telegram forwarded to the Prime Minister, Mr Savage, by the president of the Auckland Manufacturers’ Association today. The message was as follows: — “Auckland manufacturers are gravely concerned about the serious dislocation to industry and the effect on employment brought about by the continued hold-up of raw materials at Auckland wharves. We look to you, as head of the Government, to provide a means of remedying the situation.”

MR ARMSTRONG’S HOPE. EARLY RESUMPTION OF WORK EXPECTED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. The waterfront dispute in Auckland was referred to by the Minister of Labour, Mr Armstrong, in an interview last evening. “Negotiations are still proceeding between the parties to the dispute, and there is every reason to hope there will be an early resumption of work,” said the Minister, when asked if any steps were being taken by the Government to end the deadlock.