HILLTOP STRIKE.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 226, 23 September 1931, Page 7

HILLTOP STRIKE.

Single Men Complain of Rates of Pay. GRIEVANCES AIRED. Grievances of the men in the Hilltop relief camp were heard at length by members of the Citizens’ U nemployment Committee this morning. The men refused to start work on widening the Summit Road yesterday, stating that they had been brought to the camp under a misrepresentation on the part of the Labour Department. They claimed that they had been promised 10s a week, but were told only yesterday that they were under a contract to shift clay at 2?d a yard. They refused to work until their complaints had been thoroughly ventilated. Other grievances were that they ffcd to walk six miles each way to work, being given time off only one way, that there were no bathing or shower facilities at the camp and that they could obtain no satisfaction in regard to compensation for injuries. “ Orderly and Quiet.” Two spokesmen were chosen to put the case before the committee. The men were orderly and quiet, but quite definite in their refusal to work under existing condition. Members of the committee agreed that the men had a legitimate 4grievance, and the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) assured the men that representations to the Public Works Department and the Unemployment Board would be made on their behalf. After some further discussion the men decided to work for a week to give the committee the opportunity of furthering their claims. They then went to work, after giving cheers for the members of the committee. A meeting of the committee* was held at the camp subsequently, when it was decided that a committee consisting of Messrs Maginness, Lann, Sullivan, Beanland and Andrews should meet Mr F. Langbein, District Public Works Engineer, with a view to endeavouring to obtain a minimum wage of 10s weekly. The men commenced work this afternoon with the exception of eight who, shouldering their packs, started on the long walk back to Christchurch.