ANTIQUATED PLANT

Wairarapa Times-Age, 8 May 1942, Page 3

ANTIQUATED PLANT

IN USE ON AUCKLAND WATERFRONT ACCORDING TO MINISTER OF LABOUR. DISTRICT MEMBER’S DENIAL. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, This Day. “The most antiquated plant in New Zealand for handling produce is on the Auckland waterfront.’ ’said the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, during the Financial Debate in the House of Representatives last night, Mr Webb said that the Auckland waterfront was not as satisfactory as the other ports. It was obvious that time was wasted in carting produce in little trucks for 100 yards. Mr Sutherland (Opposition, Hauraki): “We have the most up-to-date mechanical plant in New Zealand.” The Minister said he had gone to the Auckland Harbour Board and pointed out that it was not to its credit to have such a’ lot of scrap iron instead of proper loading gear. The board had sent away for better equipment, and as a result ships were now being turned around faster than they were in the past. Discussing waterfront conditions generally the Minister said that the waterfronts of the Dominion had been robbed of their young men, and on the Wellington waterfront over 50 per cent of the men loading ships were over 60 years of age. On the whole the waterfront work of the Dominion was now being done immensely better than it had been done in the past. “I think some of the men on the waterfronts have played the fool,” the Minister continued, “but most of them have played the game. Even those who have played the fool have probably done more work than half their critics. The contract system is a great improvement on the old wage system.” Mr Webb said there had never been greater industrial harmony than existed today. New Zealand was the envy of the world in that respect. More than 70 different agreements and awards had been extended, and every industry that had applied for an extension of hours had had an extension unanimously agreed to by the Industrial Emergency Council.