RELIEF STRIKES

Hokitika Guardian, 16 May 1932, Page 6

RELIEF STRIKES

EXTENT KNOWN TO DAY.

ORDERS -AGAINST PICKETING

;By Telegraph —Per Press Association/

WELLINGTON, May 15

To-morrow the true extent of the Wellington relief workers' strike win become known. Jobs will be available m the morning for nearly ciUuU men, and it anything like that number reports lor worn, what remains of tne strike may be regarded as an empty gesture. '

For their i part, the strikers profess to be united as solidly as ever, tney admit, however, that men will be at work .to-morrow, and on Saturday arrangements were made for the peaceful picketing of the various jobs. H It has been announced officially th,at any attempts at picketing will be viewed seriously by the authorities. Any molestation is to be dealt with sternly.

.. The, week-end in Wellington was uneventful, the strikers meeting quietly lit; the Trades Hall on Saturday morn-

uvg. The city was back to normal, boarded shop fronts and a tew mrepaired windows comprising the only remaining evidence of the mid-week outbreak.

a tew companies of the temporary police reinforced the regular police patrols on Saturday evening. A sharp eye was kept on any suspicious-look-ing groups with motor-cars, it being reported that Communists wore abroad on mischief bent, but nothing untoward took place.

11 It is known that both the strikers aiid the Communist element in the city have motor-tars 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 Organised Labour tomorrow.

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 have as yet received formal advice as to the attitude of all the unions.

-STRIKE HAS SIGNALLY FAILED CHRISTCHURCH, May 16,

Only 200 men failed to report for duty out of 1,400 so instructed, and work is proceedings everywhere without interruption. The strike committee still expresses confidence, but .elsewhere the belief exists that the strike has signally faTeu. - ;

X .I^ILURE;

CHRISTCHURCH, May 16.

The relief workers’ strike called here for to-day appea&::to-.be:a failure completely as, on many of the jobs, ninety per cent, of the men are working. •

A THOUSAND WORKING

WELLINGTON, May 16

Slightly over a thousand unemployed men are at work on relief jobs this morning, out of over two thousand who were due ,to start. There was no picketing. All tile jobs were visited by the police. There was no evidence of any interference with men at work.

RELIEF CAMP DEFENDED

WELLINGTON, May 15

The Labour Department is in receipt of a voluntary letter from several men at the Owhango Camp, near Tauniarunui. In this the writers are assuring single men who are doubtful ;is to the conditions tha: the accommodation could hardly lie excelled. They say their camp is warm and dry, and the food plain, ,but good and plentiful