SHIRT-SLEEVED OFFICIAL PULL DOW CHAIRMAN’S ROOM.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17410, 12 December 1924, Page 16

SHIRT-SLEEVED OFFICIAL PULL DOW CHAIRMAN’S ROOM.

| WOMEN HELP IN " NO LUXURY »* ATTACK. J I.ONDON*. October 20; As a protest against; the “ luxury ** «»f a chairman having a room to himself. a number of C amberwell guardians yesterday tore down a wooden parti'r,on at the board’s headquarters. Th#> men took off their coats and attacked the woodwork with tools which had been left behind by workmen. Women members helped by unscrewing a door and carrying away the pieces. A controversy had lasted for month* 0 , ~r \-bother the chairman, Mr A. T. li'cr reouii 'd a private room. V in.-i j ’ll \ <jf tli” council decided that ho ~I,.>* 1 1• 1 have a separate room and that rbc rleik’s ro«.m should he divided in t ac. bv a tvnoden partition at a cost of L 1 o The work had been done when opponents of the scheme called a special meeting to urge that the room be restored to its original condition. Mr Dyer, as chairman, ruled this out of order and left the meeting. “ Why Not Now*'” Eight members remained, and. electing .Mr Evan Cook as their chairman, they unanimously decided to rescind the proposal to convert part of the clerk*.** room into a reception room for the chairman, and to restore the room to its original state. The cry was raised. “ Whv not pull it down now ? * 7 and was received with cut husiasm. The members, now joined by otherm, j trooped off to the chairman’s room. Workmen had left their topis behind. ( and «-onie of the guardians took off | their eoats. One put on a joiner** I a pron. Seizing hammers and chisel* they attacked the offending partition, ripped off the asbestos covering and hammered down iho woodwork. In half an hour all signs of the pari tition were removed, and the room restored to its old condition. The women «.wept the floor, and the clerk's desk i chair and rugs were placed where they formerly stood. The oflb-e-breakiwg guardians then drank to success in cups of cold water. They state that there are other vacant rooms only rarely used, and one of fcheec. might have been taken by thd chairman without disturbing the clerk, j No other South Ton don board of 1 guardians provides such a “ luxury ** :* I a chairman's room.