27 MEN LEAVE WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 23 December 1935, Page 7

27 MEN LEAVE WORK

EGLINTON VALLEY DISPUTE. CHRISTMAS HOLIDAY TERMS. By Telegraph—Press Association. Invercargill, Dec. 21. The majority aggrieved because permission to return to their homes for the Christmas season was allegedly refused them 2 , 27 men are reported to have left their work at the Milford Sound end of the Eglinton Valley Road. They reached Bluff by the Marama yesterday morning. Their passages on the ship were arranged by the Public Works DepartOne man said they wished to return to their families over the festive season. Leave was applied for, and notice was later posted at the camp to the effect that all workers would be granted seven days’ leave on full pay, but that that leave had to be spent at the Sound. They were told; that if they persisted in their desire to leave they would forfeit their jobs. The men were determined and were “sacked.” The Public Works engineer at Invercargill said that the men had left the work on their own accord. If it was alleged that the engineer at the Sound had told them they would forfeit their jobs if they returned home for seven days that allegation was not true. Mr. W. M. C. Denham, M.P., says he intends looking into the grievances.