Annotated bibliography of the 1951 waterfront dispute in Wellington

Abstract

The purpose of this bibliography is to provide a resource diat records die events, moments, personalities and attitudes that were involved in and specific to the duration of die Waterfront Dispute (17 February-17 July, 1951) in Wellington. As previously discussed, Wellington was in a special position because it is die capital city. It was also the headquarters of many of the organisations involved in die Dispute. Due to this combination of factors, Wellington hosted many of die important meetings of die Dispute: those between Government and union officials, Government and the New Zealand Federation of Labour, die New Zealand Federation of Labour and locked-out and striking unions, the Labour Party and Government, and die Labour Party and union officials. These organisations were also very national in their focus, and they consequently posed some problems for diis bibliography. A major issue was thus die inclusion of material created in Wellington with a nation-wide focus. It was decided that material that was created within Wellington by national organisations (including Government) that did not have a specific Wellington, focus should not be included. It is the focus of this bibliography to record die specific aspects of the Dispute that are individual and unique to the Wellington region. The general texts regarding die Waterfront Dispute are very useful for researching general themes and nation-wide points of focus regarding the Dispute. It is hoped that diis bibliography will act as a detailed supplement for those who wish to research the Dispute widi specific reference to Wellington. The entries created in diis bibliography will help any researchers of die Dispute develop a unique profile and account themes specific to Wellington, as well as the personalities and events that consumed people's attention between February and July 1951. Such major publications as the Wellington Watersiders' Official Bulletin that contained articles relateing to the Dispute as a whole have had annotated only Wellington-specific stories, and such major personalities as Walter Nash have had their extensive records culled to include only that material which concerns the Wellington region.