TRAMWAY STRIKE DEBATE

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 24 May 1932, Page 6

TRAMWAY STRIKE DEBATE

BOARD’S LIVELY MEETING WOMAN ATTACKS POLICY INVITED TO RESIGN. (By Telegaopb—Press Association). CHRISTCHURCH, May 23. Describing the mediators as partisans, criticising the manner of the Tramway Union-s depuration and declining to accept any blame for the tramway strike, members of the Christchurch Tramway Board spent more than an hour this afteroon in a lively discussion of the pros and cons of the dispute. Mrs. E. R. McCombs, who gave rise to the discussion by attacking the board’s attitude, was in turn attacked by other memtiers of the board, one of whom suggested that she would best serve the community by resigning.

After declaring emphatically that there had been no victimisation in the selection of men who were dismissed Mr. D. Sykes went on to say, that if he had had a hand in the choosing, the president of the union (Mr. J. Mathison), on account of his soap-box agitation, -would have been the first man to go. Ultimately votes of thanks were passed to all employees and to the temporary police who assisted the board during the strenuous period of the strike.

On more than one occasion the discussion became heated and the chairman had to intervene.