Business

A shake up (of sorts)on the way for Fiji’s wharves

A shake-up to improve Fiji wharf ser vices is under way, but a struggle is likely between the fledgling Ports Authority of Fiji and the Fiji Waterside Workers’ and Seamen’s Union.

The authority, on March 8 took over control of cargo handling, and will take over all stevedoring operations on July 1.

The union, in March, acquired a vested in terest in stevedoring through a link with Seatrans (Fiji) Ltd.

The authority’s takeover, which has the force of law, involves five major shipping companies in Burns Philp, Carpenters, the Union Steam Ship Co of NZ, Williams and Gosling and Seatrans.

Seatrans and the union have formed a company, Fiji Stevedores Ltd, to go into the stevedoring industry. Seatrans, a local company, which went into the shipping business three years ago, holds 5 1 per cent of the new stevedoring company. The union holds the other 49 per cent.

The authority is in the process of reorganising the port work force. It plans to introduce a comprehensive training programme to upgrade dockworkers’ skills. Other plans are: • To make available work on the docks and installations such as container packing and unpacking, container servicing, repairs and general wharf duties; • A bonus scheme based on produc tivity and efficiency to give the dock workers higher take-home pay; • A multi-purpose labour force, in terchangeable and flexible in both

deployment and operation;

• Better social and recreational facilities for dockworkers and their families.

Mr Taniela Veitata, a powerful figure in Fiji stevedoring circles and industrial of ficer of the union, is against the takeover.

He says the union is prepared to defend its interests and fight against any form of op position to the formation of the new com pany. Dockers working for their own com pany would work 200 per cent harder.

Their share in the profits of Fiji Stevedores would go into a trust «fund which would be used for retirement, unemployment and sick benefits, and for scholarships for dockworkers’ children.

Mr Leo Smith, managing director of

Seatrans (Fiji), said the new stevedoring company would give dockworkers an in centive to work harder. It would bring major improvements in stevedoring ser vices. It would take over all Seatrans stevedoring, and would invest in whatever equipment was needed.

Mr Veitata led the waterside workers in their month-long strike in 1971, which ended in significant gains. He was then secretary of a union which was later deregistered. He became secretary of a new union covering waterside workers and seamen, but was disqualified from holding that office after a brush with the law. The union overcame that disqualification by appointing him industrial officer.

He led the union in negotiations with Sofrana-Unilines and W. R. Carpenter (South Pacific) which set up Sofrana Fiji Express Line Ltd in April, 1975. This line, in which the union has a 26 per cent interest, now operates a service covering Auckland, Tauranga, Lautoka, Suva and

Apia.

He also led the union in banning con tainers carrying more than 10 per cent of Fiji-consigned cargoes. However, he also told his members after their gains in 1971

that they had to work harder and earn their money.

Meanwhile, Fiji is looking to an im provement in internal shipping services through the recent formation of a shipping council. The management committee of the council will comprise representatives of commerce and the government. The council will also serve as a forum for discussion of transport problems, as an avenue for co-operation among exporters, producers, manufacturers and shipowners, and as a means of promoting the interests of all connected with the transport of

goods, particularly by sea.

Hard times ahead

for PNG planters

The Papua New Guinea copra in dustry is in a parlous state. The only hope appears to be an early sharp rise in the world price. The Copra Stabilisation Fund could dry up. The bounty paid from the fund was cut by KlO a tonne in March to K4O, and it will remain at that figure till the end of May.

Embattled planters are faced with the possibility of a rise in rural minimum wages, which would further add to their troubles. In fact, many plantations might have to close if the minimum wage rises.

Average plantation costs were about K 172 a tonne, while producers were get ting only KlOl a tonne, plus the stabilisation fund bounty of K4O.

Mr D. R. J. Densley, a Primary In dustry Department assistant secretary, recently told the Minimum Wages Board that the industry could not afford the existing rates of K 8.90 a week, let alone an increase. There was no sign of a recovery in the world copra market and at its present rate of usage the stabilisation fund would be exhausted by November.

There does not seem to be a silver lining anywhere for growers. Factors which caused world prices to rise in 1973 and 1974 drought in the Philippines, failure of the United States soya bean crop and failure of the Peru fish meal harvest do not now exist. And with PNG finan ces strained, the possibility of a govern ment subsidy if the stabilisation fund runs out, must be remote.

Taniela Veitata

Fiji plan for

sun-dried timber

The Fiji Forestry Department is ex

perimenting with a solar kiln to dry tim ber. The kiln at the department’s timber utilisation division at Nasinu, is capable of handling 2,000 super ft of timber. It is claimed that the drying time, compared with air drying, is reduced by half.

Glass has been used for the roof and walls of the kiln. Crushed rock is laid on the floor to store heat. The highest tem perature recorded in the kiln is 46 deg C.

Such kilns could be used by small timber producers and furniture makers who dry their own timber.

The only power needed in the kiln is that used to drive an air circulating fan.

Ok Tedi copper’s

golden glitter

A firm decision about the Ok Tedi copper project is required by June 30 un der an agreement between the Papua New Guinea Government and Broken Hill Co

Pty Ltd.

Under the agreement BHP is required to form a consortium to decide whether the project is economically feasible. The estimated cost of the mine, in 1975 currency, is between K 350 million and K4OO million.

The PNG Prime Minister, Mr Michael Somare, speaking in parliament on the bill to authorise the agreement, said that if BHP’s early work established there were 250 million tonnes of ore containing .85 per cent copper, the mine would support 40,000 tons a day mining operation for 20 years.

Using the experience gained in the

development of the Bougainville Copper

Ltd mine, the PNG Government has negotiated an agreement “far superior” to the Bougainville agreement. The PNG Government will receive a 20 per cent

equity, unless a bigger share is agreed.

Anything above a “fair and reasonable” return for BHP will go to the PNG people in taxes. There will also be normal cor n?s r t a yea a r nd of o^ilon'’ 8 tam from ,he BHP is reported to be looking for partners in the US, Japan and Germany. There are no plans yet for a refinery, but the BHP survey will include evaluation of a smelter.

Speaking at a Commonwealth foreign investment seminar, Mr Somare said the drilling programme at Ok Tedi was proceeding ahead of schedule.

A programme was also continuing to define the mineral potential of the liltalmm area m West Sepik Province and there were plans to carry out a helicopterborne magnetomeler and electro-magnet survey of other areas. 8 , thP rCS ! IB T! fr ° m the first 1,300 metres of the 3,000 metre drilling programme at Ok Tedi. Of six holes drilled at the end of February, four had significant intersections of copper ore and a fifth had gold values P r- ,• . ,-_ ar ,er surve y s m tbe area suggested 137 million tonnes averaging 0.88 per cent copper. The latest drilling programme is designed to discover ad-

ditional reserves which would allow a higher rate of mining and give the mine a longer life. u give me mine a

Tourist recession

hits N. Hebrides

There was an 8 per cent drop in the number of tourists visiting the New Hebrides in 1975, compared with 1974. °i ° ther areaS ’ and in ''f l6 th forecast s made two or three years f more . v,s,tors fr,T7iapan jmber of arrivals m 1975 was 15,838, made up of New Caledonia, 5,761; Australia, 4,243; New Zealand 1,880; US, 828; Japan, 631; France,’ 547; Fiji, 529; UK, 240

t.r • • r

"TOl^romnared’ 5 OTa " xh* “P b * ? o .' • co "P ared with 1974 The New Caledonia figure for 1 975 was down b y 1 •' 88 - The average length of stay was 9.2 days, compared with 9.9 days in 1974 Th< . riollP<lc * IQ7/1 ... rn ™ f 1974 did not include cruise ship passengers who visited Vila or Santo for one day. The number of one-day visits has risen in recent years, and the money these visitors spend goes close to offsetting losses caused through a fall-off in the number of long-staying visitors.