DEMANDS MADE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23748, 30 August 1940, Page 8

DEMANDS MADE

WAIOURU CAMP WOBK •' - - «' -- . . • • DISCONTENTED SECTION V MORE PAY : 40-HOUR WEEK / -j Discontent among a section of the 1100 workmen engaged on construction work at Waiouru military cainp culminated in a demand yesterday, for an increase of 3d an hour in pay and the reduction of hours of work to 40 a week. The question was discussed, last night at a largely-attended meeting in one!' of the messrooms. The men: were addressed by Mr. C. L. Hunter, liaison officer for the Minister of Labour, the - Hon. P. C. Webb, but the outcome of the meeting was not available at a late hour. While certain, -of the men: are reported to have adopted go-slow" tactics at their work yesterday .morning, it was not considered last night that a general stoppage of work was imminent. By no means all demands, it is stated;. A large number are quite content xo retain the existing conditions, comprising an averageweek of about 52 hours and pay . amounting to about H 7 weekly. Because of the difference of views considerable feeling between sections of the men is reported to have arisen. A message from the Herald's special correspondent in Wellington last night stated that the Cabinet is reported to have considered the men's demands, but that if the request for a 40-hour week is granted the job will not, under: existing circumstances., be completed by October 1, the d'atß desired by the Army authorities, * LOSS OF MESSROOMS DAMAGE DONE BY EIRE SPEEDY RECONSTRUCTION } INQUIRIES BY THE POLICE^ The rebuilding of the large new messroom block at Waiouru military camp, which was destroyed by fire early on Wednesday morning, will bo com- • mrnced immediately., according to a Public Works Department official at the camp in a telephone interview with the Herald yesterday. Preliminary work would be started to-day^and the building would be the end of September, lie said. : .•• • As the original structure was of wood under an iron roof and had been completely burned , out, there was not' a great deal of wreckage to be cleared away, the official s.dded. Ample supplies of timber were available for rebuilding and, although roofing iron was difficult to obtain, it; was thought.that sufficient could be secured. The-con- ■ crete floor of the central portion of the building had not bedn greatly damaged and could easily be repaired. J The dormitories and other structures near the fire were not occupied at the time, it was stated. For. a short'period these buildings were threatened, but a change in the wind removed any danger of the fire spreading. ' Thenearest occupied buildings were about 200 yards away. J As incendiarism is 1 suspected, a number of police have arrived at rthe' ; camp and are making inquiries. INQUIRY AS TO CAUSE NO HALT IN WAR EFFORT [bt telegraph;—special bepoeter] . WELLINGTON, Thursday An assurance that no effort would be spared to determine the cause of-the fire at tho Waiouru military camp "was given by the Prime Minister, the Rt. Hon. P. Fraser, to-day. He said that there would be a thorough investigation, and if anything in the nature of sabotage was proved those responsible would be dealt with in the most rigorous fashion. "I suspend any judgment in the case until the facts have been thoroughly investigated, and the inquiry, which is already under way, and which will be carried out in the most efficient manner, is completed," Mr. Fraser said. "Obviously, the loss of the building will he a handicap, but steps will be taken immediately to replace it. There will bo no delay whatever. Such adverse happenings will not be allowed to interfere to any considerable extent with * Zealand's war effort." -