WATERFRONT HOLD-UP

Wairarapa Times-Age, 11 March 1940, Page 7

WATERFRONT HOLD-UP

TWO MINISTERS GO NORTH

MEETING AUCKLAND MEN TODAY.

ATTITUDE OF GOVERNMENT TO BE DEFINED.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day.

The Auckland waterfront situation was discussed at meeting's of Cabinet during the weekend, after the return to Wellington'of the DeputyPrime Minister. Air Eraser, from a recruiting campaign tour in the South Island.

The main development was the departure from Wellington of the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, and the Minister of Industries and Commerce, Mr Sullivan, for Auckland by the Limited express last night. They have gone there to meet the waterside workers at a special meeting to be called for today. They will discuss the whole situation with them frankly and make plain the Government’s attitude on the situation that has arisen. EMPHATIC PROTEST AGAINST MR DARLOW’S STATEMENT. MADE BY THE AUCKLAND WATERSIDERS. AUCKLAND, March 9. As a result of the decision of the employers to dismiss men working overseas ships who refused the overtime call last night, the Auckland Waterside Workers’ Union held a meeting lasting over two hours this morning. A call was made for men hitherto not approached to work overtime to take the place of the men dismissed, but the call was refused, as also was a call for men this afternoon. The only ships working today were coasters with perishable cargoes. At the men’s meeting an emphatic protest and unqualified denial to the statement issued yesterday by the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr W. B. Darlow, was made. Mr Darlow was challenged to substantiate his remarks or immediately lodge with the Press an unqualified apology. A statement issued by the men’s Press committee says that they are prepared to continue to work four hours longer than the Government’s 40-hour week. The men, it is stated, view with concern the dismissal of members en masse at a time when the companies know that feelings on the waterfront are running high because of the fact that for nearly two years requests made to the' employers for a new agreement have not been acceded to. When the watersiders' protest concerning his earlier statement was referred to Mr- Darlow, he said his remarks were fair and based on information received, and he was not going to divulge its source. “If the men don’t resume normal activities on Monday the board will call for voluntary labour, and there is plenty of this labour offering.” he said. DRIVERS MAY CEASE WORK IF HARBOUR BOARD EMPLOYS VOLUNTARY LABOUR. AUCKLAND, March 9. If voluntary labour is used to discharge cargo from ships at Auckland the Drivers’ Union will probably become involved. In a statement today the secretary Mr. L. G. Matthews, said his union felt it necessary to make some reply to the statement by the chairman of the harbour board, Mr. W. B. Darlow. “In the first place,” he said, “it must be clear to Mr. Darlow that organised workers are not going to be embroiled in a dispute which at the minute is confined to the watersiders and shipowners. It is clear to the union that Mr. Darlow’s contemplated action would be instrumental in spreading the dispute to drivers. We suggest that Mr Darlow use his influence with the shipowners to effect a settlement, rather than threaten the workers with direct action. “In the event of Mr Darlow employing voluntary labour to discharge ships he will still be faced with the necessity of having the cargo removed from the shed.” concluded Mr. Matthews. RELATED UNIONS CARRYING ON AS USUAL. AUCKLAND, March 10. In response to a telegram from the secretary of the Auckland Tallymen s Union and the Auckland Assistant Stevedores, Foremen and Timekeepers' Union, Mr. J. Sheppard, asking what action they were to take in the waterfront dispute, the Federation of Labour has advised them to carry on as usual. Mr. Sheppard stated that both unions, which have a total membership of more than 200 members, were very perturbed about what attitude to take in the waterfront deadlock, which naturally affects their employment. He said it was their intention to carry on as usual irrespective of any action taken by the Auckland branch of the Waterside Workers' Union, till information to the contrary was given by the Federation of Labour. The two unions would do nothing to abrogate their awards. ACTION BY GOVERNMENT AUCKLAND WHARVES TAKEN OVER. CONTROLLER APPOINTED. (B,v Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND. This Day. An announcement was made by the chairman of the Harbour Board, Mr W. B. Darlow, that the board had been advised by telephone from Wellington by the Acting-Prime Minister, Mr Fraser, that an Order-in-Council was being put through this morning making provision for the Government to take over control of the Auckland wharves, and that the Government was appointing Mr R. E. Price, Conciliation Commissioner at Auckland, as Controller. That meant, said Mr Darlow, that the Harbour Board no longer had jurisdiction over the wharves and consequently there would be no call for volunteer labour, as was proposed for noon today.