STRIKE AT TIMARU.

Feilding Star, Volume XXVI, Issue 142, 15 December 1902, Page 2

STRIKE AT TIMARU.

» . . Telegraph Frees Association. Copyright Timaru, December 13. In conuecrion with the Harbour Board breakwater extension works here a strike has occurred, all the quarry hands haviag refused to "work. The cause of tbe aotion was the dismissal by the engineer in-charge of a worker wbo acted as spokesman for a deputation of quarry workers who approached the Board with the view of being allowed to do stripping work during breakdowns to tbe machinery instead of having to lose this time. Tbe worker referred to was dismissed as an agitator, whereupon all his fellowworkers, 77 in all, ceased to work, saying they did not feel justified in working while their spokesman had been dismissed simply for placing tbe unanimous views of all his fellow-workers before the Board. The workers held a large meeting last night, and decided to form a union, to bo called the Timaru Harbour Board I Employees' Industrial Union. The workers appointed a deputation to wait on the Board to ask that the man dismissed be reinstated. The deputation waited on the Board this morning, and stated their oase, offering to go back to work at onoe if tbe Board woald reinstate the man dismissed. After hearing evidence on both sides the Board deoided that work in the quarries eball cea?e for the present, and the men will be at liberty to take other work. The matter will be farther considered at the ordinary meeting of the Board, to be held on Saturday oest,