WATERFRONT DISPUTE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 9 March 1939, Page 8

WATERFRONT DISPUTE

APPLE SHIPMENT HELD DP IN WELLINGTON MAY MEAN LOWER PRICE FOR GROWERS. LINER SAILING WITH VACANT SPACE. J (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. Three thousand cases of export apples, which should have been shipped yesterday by the liner Rangitiki for London, were carried back to Nelsen last night by the Anchor Company’s Nelson ferry steamer Arahura because of a dispute with the waterside workers. On Tuesday morning one of the .waterside workers engaged in unloading the same'company’s, ship . Matangi ■ was discharged for abusing the. fore-n--man, whereupon the remainder of the: c waterside workers- stopped 'work..and the vessel wall idle, for -the rest of .the day. The Matangi also had export apples.. These had been discharged before the trouble arose, but the remainder of the vessel’s cargo from Nelson was carried back to that port, and none of the Wellington cargo for Nelson was shipped. . Yesterday morning, when-the water-. front labour for the day was being en-.’ gaged, no waterside workers would, accept work for the Arahura, which in consequence was idle' all day.. . . In- ' eluded in her cargo were 3000 cases .of export apples for shipment to. London by the Rangitiki, which is to. leave Wellington at 7 o’clock ..this morning. As the fruit cannot be discharged at Wellington till Friday it will havo : . to be shipped by another .overseas liner and arrive later on the London, market. At such short notice it was im- ... possible to fill the vacant space in the; Rangitiki. The later, arrival in London • will possibly mean a lower price foithe.fruit, causing lors to growers. It was thought likely last night that the waterside .workers would accept engagement as usual for the Matangi this morning. .