DISPUTE AT CAMP

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 10 January 1936, Page 6

DISPUTE AT CAMP

NOT YET SETTLED (By Telegraph—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH 9th January The men in the Ashley river relief ivories camp have not yet agreed to work oil the terms offered. The Minister of Public Works, the lion. 11. Semple, through the engineer in charge, offered increases in certain of the rates amounting to from 10 to 15 per cent. This oiler the men refused to accept. The, spokesman for the men stilted that they desired to be treated as ordinary Public 'Works employees with payment at a flat daily rate. They claim that the standard rate oil public works is not 12s which they are expected to earn, but 13s lOd a day. At a meeting of unemployed workers a motion suggesting a demand for 15s a day wit'll other concessions was defeated. DECISION TO RETURN AIINISTERS ADDRESS .MEN (By Telegraph—Press Association) CHRISTCHURCH, 9th January. The men engaged on the Ashley River protective works decided unanimously to return to work on the conditions which they had pioviouslv rejected after (hey had been addressed this morning by the lion. 11. Semple and the Hon. P. C. Webb. A serious view of the dispute was taken bv the Government, which regarded tlie action of tlie men as a challenge to its administration before it had bait sufficient time to formulate its new public works policy. An emphatic declaration was made by Mr Semple and Air Webb that the Communist organisation was the avowed enemy of the workers and tlie nation and that “white-anting” on public works jobs would not be tolerated lit any shape or form.