BACK TO WORK

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 November 1938, Page 5

BACK TO WORK

AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS’ DECISION MOVEMENTS OF SHIPPING (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, November 13. Following on the announcement that the Auckland watersiders had decided to man all ships on Monday morning, the president of the Auckland Waterside Workers Union, Mr R. G. Jones, said it had been decided that the men’s grievances should be referred to the local disputes committee, with a conference in Wellington to follow. The opinion was expressed that the conference should be held at the earliest possible date, the parties being representatives of the Dominion executive, members of the Auckland branch, and representatives of the shipowners. “Every man belonging to the union, and we have a membership of approximately 1500, will be required on the wharves on Monday,” continued Mr Jones. “There will certainly be congestion for a day or two, but by about Thursday conditions should again be normal.”

Immediately the men’s decision was made known, the Auckland manager of the Huddart, Parker, Company, Mr C. H. Taylor, was in touch with the company’s head office in Melbourne by telephone concerning arrangements for the motor-liner Wanganella. The ship, which was to have sailed from Auckland for Sydney on Friday, will now leave at 4 o’clock on Wednesday afternoon. When she reaches Sydney on Sunday, the Wanganella will be several days late in docking for her overhaul, but the chief concern of the company has been the discharge of 11,000 cases of Australian oranges which have been waiting in the liner at Auckland since last Wednesday. The Union Company’s passenger motor-ship Matua, which was to have cleared Auckland for Rarotonga, Apia, and Suva, last Tuesday, will now sail at 11 o’clock tomorrow night. About 2000 cases of bananas from the islands have been waiting discharge from the Matua’s cool storage accommodation for nearly a fortnight. With every berth occupied three ships will be at anchor in the stream tomorrow morning, the accumulation of shipping during the deadlock having reached well over 100,000 tons gross.