INSTRUCTION TO STRIKERS

Press, Volume LXXXVII, Issue 26397, 16 April 1951, Page 6

INSTRUCTION TO STRIKERS

SURRENDER OF FORMS FOR WORK

DECISION AT AUCKLAND MEETING (New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, April 15. Striking watersiders—at the main ports at least—have been instructed by their deregistered union to surrender at their meetings the Government’s forms for application for registration for wharf work. That may explain why, as disclosed this week by the Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan), the response for watersiders to complete registration has not been as good as expected.

The instruction to Auckland watersiders arose from a resolution at their meeting in the Trades Hall on Wednesday. The resolution was said to have been proposed by a rank and file member. Watersiders say that the majority of them genuinely welcomed the instruction to surrender the forms. But it was given in such a way that no member could ignore it without risking victimisation—a threat which is said to have become a serious factor in prolonging the strike. In handing in the forms watersiders had to endorse the envelope with their name and official number at the labour bureau of the Waterfront Industry Commission. This meant that their leaders could check against the official bureau list .to identify any watersider who did not surrender his form. Some have said that this made them hand in their form against their wish.

MEN DETAINED BY POLICE

CANVASS FOR “MINERS’ RELIEF FUND” (New Zealand Press Association)

GREYMOUTH, April 15. A canvass of the business area of Greymouth on behalf of the ‘‘Miners’ Relief Fund” came to a sudden end on Friday afternoon when two men were detained by the police for questioning. No arrests were made, however, and it is not known what action, if any, is contemplated by the authorities.

The two men concerned were detained in a Greymouth shop soon after the Inspector of Police at Greymouth (Mr Johnston) had issued a warning to the public that representatives of strikers were known to have commenced a canvass and that under the Emergency Regulations anyone who assisted strikers, or persons party to a strike, either by cash contributions or in any other way, committed an offence himself.

He warned businessmen against yielding “to these ‘or else’,’’ requests. A statement was issued this morning by Mr R. H. Mitchell, on behalf of the Miners’ Relief Committee, admitting that a canvass had been commenced to raise funds to aid the wives and families of miners in cases where hardship was occurring and claiming that it was not in any way illegal in that the miners were not party to a “declared” strike. Mr Mitchell claimed that before the regulations could apply to the miners they must be legally declared to be on strike.

INSULTING WORDS ON PREMISES

BUSINESSMAN WHO JOINED UNION (N.w Zealand Press Association) NEW PLYMOUTH, April 15. Insulting words in letters a foot high have been daubed on the front of the premises of a Patea businessman who has become a member of the new freezing workers* union there. After a meeting last Tuesday, at which it was decided that killing would resume at the Patea freezing works, the businessman took up employment in what was later announced by the Minister of Labour (Mr W. Sullivan) to be a new freezing workers’ union. He began at the works on Wednesday, ana on Friday morning it was found that the doors and windows of his premises had been disfigured. The words were inscribed with paint.

ENGINEERS* UNION IN AUCKLAND

SUPPORT FOR LABOUR FEDERATION (New Zealand Press Association) AUCKLAND, April 15. A decision to adhere to the Federation of Labour's recommendation for normal work has been made by the Auckland district regional conference of the Engineers’ Union. The secretary of the Auckland branch (Mr A. H. Berry) said that the decision was reached after a long discussion of the waterfront dispute. Twenty-seven representatives of the main Auckland branch and eight subbranches were unanimous. The conference represents engineers from North Cape to Taumarunui.

R.S.A. VIEW OF STRIKE

ENDORSEMENT AT RANGIORA A motion endorsing the recent statement made by the Dominion president of the R.S.A. (Major-General Sir Howard Kippenberger) and the Dominion vice-president (Mr K. W. Fraser) in which he called on all former servicemen to stand firmly against those responsible for the present crisis on the waterfront, was carried at a meeting of the executive of the Rangiora R.S.A. The meeting pledged itself to give full support to the call.

RUNANGA CO-OPERATIVE MINERS’ UNION FURTHER MEETING ADJOURNED from Our Own Reporter GREYMOUTH. April 15. The Runanga District Co-operative Miners’ Union held a further meeting this morning to consider their position. but no action was taken. The meeting was adjourned until later this week. Co-operative mining parties have been directed by the Minister of Mines (Mr W. Sullivan) to resume production. A mass meeting of the Runanga State Miners’ Union is advertised for Tuesday morning.