THE DONKEY ROOM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1914, 24 November 1913, Page 6

THE DONKEY ROOM.

NOW A HUGE DORMITORY, One of the cruellest cuts to the strikers must he to know tho use that the "dojikoy room" (H shed) is now being put to in contradistinction to the purposes it served a few weeks ago, Tho donkey room was formerly tho place provided by the Harbour Board for the casual labourers to spend their time in whilst waiting for work to turn up. It was there that tho now famous "stopwork" meeting was held, and there the strikera mot and held their meetings for over a week after they "downed tools." During that time the 'Waterside Workers' Band were in the habit of giving chamber concerts, and there tho leaders told tho tale of victory daily to tho deluded, .After the men had been given a fair amount- of rope (and had used it in a riotous manner), tho Harbour Beard decided to deprive the strikers of the use of the shed, and to exclude them altogether from the wharves. Sinco thou another union has boon formed (How over 1000 members strong). It was deemed advisable to find accommodation for these men, where they Would be free from molestation, and for a week or more all of them were housed on the Mararoa in the stream, but as the membership grew it was found necessary to secure' other quarters. That is whore tho donkey-room has come in. The whole of the big room upstairs has been fitted with comfortable bunks, the iron and wooden fittings of which have been supplied by the New Zealand Shipping Company, and aro those used on the Home steamers when there happens to be 'an unusually largo number f-f immigrant passengers. Each bunk has a stretcher of -canvas, on which is placed a serviceable single flax matt jess. There is an nmplo supply of pillows and blankets, which have also been supplied by the shipping companies. By this means sleeping accommodation Itas been provided for nearly 400 men. Tho bunks were occupied for the first time on Saturday night. The smaller room at the northern end of the building has been fitted up as a diningroom, so that no om need .leave the wharf «Q long as the present trouble holds out. At the same time there aro plenty of workers bebnging to tho new union who prefer to;live at'the-ir homes, and do so. The accommodation within the limits of tho Harbour Board's property has been really • provided for those wotkers who have come from a distance, and who otherwises would have to stay at lodginghonses or hotels.