RELIEF WORKERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21645, 16 May 1932, Page 8

RELIEF WORKERS

THE STRIKE PROJECT SUPPORT APPARENTLY LACKING QUIET WEEK-END IN WELLINGTON (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 15. To-morrow the true extent of the Wellington relief workers’ strike will become known. Jobs will be available in the morning for nearly 3000 men, and if anything like that number reports for work what remains of the strike may be regarded as an empty gesture. For their part, the strikers profess to be united as solidly as ever. They admit, however, that men will be at work tomorrow, and on Saturday arrangements were made for the peaceful picketing of various jobs. It has been announced officially that any attempts at picketing will be viewed seriously by the authorities, and any molestation is to be dealt with sternly. The week-end in Wellington was uneventful, the strikers meeting quietly at the Trades Hall. On Saturday morning the city was back to normal, a few unrepaired windows supplying the only remaining evidence of the mid-week outbreak. To-day the weather discouraged congregating and the city was quiet and almost deserted. ! A few companies of temporary police reinforced the .regular police patrols. On Saturday evening a sharp -eye was kept on any suspicioqs-looking groups with motor cars, as it had been reported that Communists were abroad on michief bent, but nothing untoward took place. It is known that both the strikers and the Communist clement in the city have motor cars at their disposal. The strikers are making every effort to keep the peace and their cars are being used to gather relief supplies. • It is probable that the strikers’ central committee, which held another long meeting on Saturday afternoon, will send delegates to meet the representatives of organied labour to-morrow. The union officials are extremely reticent, but. it is unlikely that the strikers will be given much satisfaction, mainly because neither the Alliance of Labour nor the Trades and Labour Council has as yet received formal advice as to the attitude of all the unions. Permission to hold a meeting at the ■Basin Reserve to-day was Refused. The commissioner of police says that, in view of recent happenings, it is considered unwise to allow large gatherings of men at the present time, if they wish to hold meetings in their own halls, that is a different matter. POSITION IN CHRISTCHURCH RELIEF WORKS DECLARED “ BLACK.” (Pee United Press Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, May 14. The organisers of the relief work strike say that it will be in full operation on Monday, when a large proportion of the men are due to report for duty. All the relief works in and around the city were declared “ black ” as from last evening. , t LOCAL BALLOT ARRANGED Under the auspices of the Unemployed Workers’ Movement and the Otagcf Labour Council, a ballot of workers employed under No. 5 scheme will be taken to-day and to-morrow to decide whether a strike shall be called. The hours of voting will be from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day, and the ballot will take place at the Trades Hall.