RELIEF CAMP DISPUTE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20986, 24 September 1931, Page 11

RELIEF CAMP DISPUTE.

CONTRACT SYSTEM OPPOSES. EIGHT MEN LEAVE WORK. [BY TELEGRAPH. —PRESS ASSOCIATION.] CHRISTCHURCH, Wednesday. The men at one of the relief camps established near Christchurch went on strike yesterday morning when they were informed by the Public Works engineer in charge that they were" to work under contract and not as they claim they were told before leaving for the camp for 10s a week and their food. The camp is at Hill Top, above Akaroa, and the men were to be employed on the Summit Road. They were offered a yard for moving clay, 3d for soft rock, 4d for rotten rock and 6d for solid rock. Where they were to work the bulk of the material would be clay. The unemployment committee visited the camp to-day and heard the men's case. The committee promised to take up the matter with the department. It explained that it was unable to guarantee anything, but would do its (best, and urged the men to go to work in the meantime. The men would not agree to work for an indefinite period awaiting a decision, but promised to give the committee a week. Most of the men were satisfied with this arrangement and went off to work, but eight left to walk back to Christchurch, carrying their swags. The arrival of the committee at the camp was opportune, because the men had been notified that they must go to work or leave the camp and that unless they worked no meals would be provided for them after one o'clock to-day. The men were satisfied with their quarters and their food, but declared that at the rates fixed none of them would be able to earn tobacco money. Their request was that they be guaranteed 10s a week as a minimum, even if the. piecework system was insisted upon.