NO PARADE IN WELLINGTON

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26151, 29 June 1950, Page 4

NO PARADE IN WELLINGTON

T.U.C. ARRANGEMENTS CANCELLED

WEATHER BLAMED FOR DECISION

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 28.

The Trade Union Congress to-day cancelled the proposed workers’ march to Parliament this afternoon. The decision was announced after a meeting of the provincial executive of the congress. The provisional secretary (Mr A. C. Melville) said it had been agreed that the demonstration should be cancelled after the Meteorological Office had advised that bad weather was likely to continue this afternoon. “Men cannqt work in the rain, and we cannot expect them to march in it,” said Mr Melville. “However, the 10,000 who would have been behind us in person will still be behind us this evening when we wait on the Prime Minister (Mr Holland).”

It was announced to-day that Wellington and Hutt Valley drivers—members of one of the five unions which had expressed support for to-day's proposed demonstration —rejected last night their executive’s recommendation that they should participate. Wellington watersiders, who had planned to participate in the march on Parliament, lost at least half a day’s pay. Work would have been at a standstill in any case because of the rain, and the men would have received at least half a day’s pay as compensation for not being called on to work. However, their prior decision not to work lost them even this minimum income.

Comment by Mr Walsh “A serious revolt among the remaining soldiers of the Trade Union Congress has caused the march on Parliament to break down,” said the vicepresident of the Federation of Labour (Mr F. P. Walsh), in a statement to-day.

“Disquieting communiques from outside centres, particularly the decision of tramway workers at Dunedin not to be a party to the demonstration, have produced demoralisation within the slim remaining ranks of the congress. There was the decision of the Wellington drivers, at a meeting last evening, not to take part in the demonstration, and a further report that the Wellington Waterside Workers’ Band was not prepared to lead the march of the generals and the remaining rump of their army on their march to Parliament Buildings. “A hurried conference of the remaining generals was held this morning, and after a brief survey of the remaining strength of their army, it was decidea to hoist the white flag. An official communique to this effect was released from the conference headquarters, along with the slogan, ‘We will not march to-day,’ ” concluded Mr Walsh. Mr Melville Replies Replying to-night to Mr Walsh, Mr Melville said that Mr Walsh’s comments about “demoralisation” were wishful thinking. “Mr Walsh seems to be obsessed with the idea of hindering the workers’ representatives in their moves to protect the working man at a time when it is the duty of every trade union official to throw his whole weight into the defence of workers’ wages and conditions,” said Mr Melville. “We do not propose to indulge in mud-slinging through the press. We are getting on with the job of organising to protect the wage and salarv earner.

“Reports received to-day indicate that, in spite of poor weather throughout the Dominion, demonstrations, wherever they have been held, were an outstanding success. “We are satisfied, after our interview to-day with Mr Holland, that we have impressed on him and his Ministers the resentment which workers feel at the recent cut in their effective wages, and their determination to resist to the utmost any further reduction in their living standards.”