TIMBER STRIKE.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIX, Issue 112, 11 April 1929, Page 7

TIMBER STRIKE.

BALLOT ORDERED BY COURT. WORKERS VOTE AGAINST RESUMPTION. MELBOURNE, April 10. The ballot taken, among the timber workers resulted in “No” being carried by 5318 votes to 732. Judge Lukin stated that evidently the precautions taken to obtain a genuine expression of opinion from the workers as to their attitude toward the strike had been frustrated. Twentyfive per cent, of the' Sydney ballot papers bore evidence that they had been improperly dealt with and the secrecy of the ballot violated. An order, signed by Judge Lukin, of the Commonwealth Arbitration Court, was served on February 25 upon the secretray of the New South Wales branch of the Timber Workers’ Union, Mr J. Culbert, M.L.C., providing that a secret ballot upon the question of resuming work was to be taken among members of the union in. Sydney and Melbourne. The question to be submitted to the men waa as follows: —“Are you prepared to resume work under the existing award of the Commonwealth Court of Conciliation and Arbitration?” The order required the officials of the union to make available all membership, books and records and mailing lists, and other official documents that might be necessary for the conduct of the ballot. A meeting of timber workers held in the Sydney Town Hall a few days ago decided not to vote in the ballot but to burn the ballot papers.