SAN FRANCISCO PORT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 15 August 1940, Page 3

SAN FRANCISCO PORT

KILLED BY LABOUR UNIONS ACCORDING TO AUSTRALIAN SHIPOWNERS. VAST WATERFRONT NEARLY EMPTY. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, August 14. “Don’t growl about your unions here. You are lucky to be the way you are,” said Sir Walter Carpenter, a noted Australian shipping leader, when he drew a sharp comparison between labour'conditions in New Zealand and in the United States on his arrival today by the Mariposa after a business trip to the United States of America.

“It is a tragedy to see San Francisco today." he said. “Once it was a flourishing port; now it is dead. Before leaving to return to Australia I stood on a hill above the bay and looked over the 150 docks of the vast waterfront. There were only five ships there. Labour troubles at the port are such that no shipowner will send a ship there if he can help it. Control of the waterfront, by various unions is rigid. When a captain enters he cannot be sure when he will get out again. All ships that can. now cut out 'Frisco. People are inclined to blame Harry Bridges wholly, but it is not his fault entirely. It is the waterfront unions and the unions behind them that control the position."

Sir Walter bought two ships, each of 5500 tons, in the United States. The ships will trade between Canada and Australia and. if sufficient inducement is offered, will include New Zealand in their ports of call.

The Hon W. Lee Martin met Sir Walter and welcomed him on behalf of the Government, later discussing shipping with him.