RELIEF STRIKE THREAT

Evening Star, Issue 21638, 6 February 1934, Page 12

RELIEF STRIKE THREAT

AGTIOH SUSPENDED LOCALLY MAJORITY APPARENTLY SATISFIED IHTENDINS STRIKERS ADVISED TO RETURN TO WORK In that the number of relief workers, who announced their intention of declaring a strike this week, in accordance with the result of the recent ballot taken in Dunedin, represented only about one-eighth of the total number of relief men in the city, the mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox) advised them to return to their work when he received their deputation yesterday afternoon. The deputation was appointed at a meeting of some 230 men m the Trades Hall in the morning. The members requested that the mayor should give them certain assistance in their protest against the conditions imposed on them by the Unemployment Board, but after hearing their representations the Rev. Mr Cox told them that they could not hope to achieve their purpose when such a small number was lighting. It was only by a unanimous stand that they would have any possibility of making their protests hand in Wellington. The remaining laige majority of the workers, some of whom were working with their groups yesterday, were apparently quite satisfied with the conditions under which they were given employment, so he advised the few who threatened to strike to return to their work. It is understood that a good many of those who attended the meeting yesterday morning were not grouped for wort yesterday, and it was t.’eir intention to declare a strike when their groups were called up. Otners again, it is reported, were purely sustenance men, but joined the intending strikers to give them some support. A further meeting of the relief men was held in the Trades Hall last night, when the' following resolution was carried That the strike be suspended in the meantime.” Prominent members of the unemployed and also trade unionists explained the reasons for the resolution, and the conclusion was reached that the majority of the unemployed workers were apparently 7 satisfied with the prevailing conditions. The general feeling was that the leaders would wait until the unemployed unanimously wished to continue the strike. Although the strike had been declared on, it was stated, the leaders of this country had still to answer the question how it came about that men and women were on the verge of starvation in the midst of super-abundance. While the meeting stated that it was gratifying to know that the Dunedin waterside workers refused to work yesterday, it is learned this morning that the watersiders did not strike, the three vessels in port being worked as usual. There was no question at any time of the men refusing to work the ships. NAPIER CALLS IT OFF. [Per United Press Association.] NAPIER, February 6. The strike of the Napier relief workers, commenced yesterday morning, was called off to-day owing to insufficient support from other centres. The decision was reached at a mass meeting this morning. When the strike was first declared, only 40 per cent, refused to work in Napier, 20 per cent in Hastings, while the other Hawke’s Bay districts were unaffected. The men originally struck on the understanding that the movement would be a national one.