TROUBLE IN QUEUE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20620, 19 July 1930, Page 12

TROUBLE IN QUEUE.

CLAIM JUMPERS AT WORK,

MANY MEN WAIT IN VAIN.

BLOCK PURCHASER'S COMPLAINT

[BY TKf.KOHAPH. —OWN COHUESPON DENT. ] WELLINGTON, Friday.

Claim jumpers were, busy at Athletic Park this morning when booking for the fourth Rugby test opened. Late arrivals created confusion, and many who had waited since early yesterday were shut out. Just about the time for the opening of the plan lato arrivals commenced to make their presence felt, and this gave rise to confusion at certain points of the queue.

The action of thuse latecomers who forcibly entered tho lino was evidently not anticipated, and it was this which gave rise to the trouble. Tho queue had been well organised, but complaint was made to day by Gerald Bell, who had engaged a largo number of unemployed men to niako purchases, and others that there was a lack of protection. Tho trouble which resulted in many just claimants for seats being shut out would have been avoided, Mr. Bell stated, if more than two policemen had been stationed at Athletic Park to see that nothing of a disorderly nature took place. The Rugby Union officials accepted no responsibility for the conduct of the queue, the secretary pointing out to-day that bis part of the business was to carry on' the sale of tickets. The sale, he said, went off very smoothly, the applicants for tickets being admitted to a room two at a time and passing out through a door other than that by which they had entered. There were 1400 seats for sale and, of course, all were sold Mr. Bell said that he had engaged nearly 200 men to purchase about 700 tickets. In an effort to make their positions secure he had given them chits bearing (he numbers of their places in the queue. This action, he considered, would serve to avoid any confusion. As was the case with unemployed returned soldiers, his men were receiving 30s for their long wait, and each was to purchase four tickets, tho maximum allowed by the union to any one person. Many others besides the men engaged by Mr. Bell were unable to secure tickets. It was estimated that there were nearly 500 people at the park with commissions to make purchases. Those in the queue (hiring the night were well catered for. With regard to the men who were engaged and failed to purchase tickets, Mr. Bell stated that in his case 33 were unsuccessful. lie, of course, had to keep faith with them by paying them the wage at which they had been engaged. Many men in the queue, it is stated, were offered ,L2 for their places, an advance of 10s on the wage at which they had been engaged. EMPLOYMENT OF YOUNG BOYS. QUESTION IX PARLIAMENT. [BY TELEIIIIAPtI. —SPECIAL nEPOP.TEK.] WELLING JON, Fridny. Presumably having in mind the largo queues which have been formed in Wellington in connection with the booking of seats for the fourth Rugby test match between Britain and New Zealand, Mr. .T. T. Hog;in (Independent—Rangitikei) addressed an urgent question to the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, in the House of Representatives to-day. Mr. Ilogan asked if the Minister would look into the matter of the employment of young boys to take part in all-night queues, a practice that was likely to be detrimental to their health during the cold, wintry weather. The Minister said he had only just received notice of tho question, but he would take immediate steps to have the matter investigated.