RELIEF MARCH

Hokitika Guardian, 14 July 1933, Page 5

RELIEF MARCH

AT WELLINGTON MEN GO OUT ON STRIKE. (Per United Press Association.'; WELLINGTON, July 13. Men employed on Boys’ and Girls’ Colleges at 'relief jobs have remained at work despite visits of pickets ■during the strike which has been declared here. This 'afternoon a crowd of between 400 and 500 relief workers, including some who were nofc the schedule for to-day, assembled on the Girls’ College job. No doubt lit was in a,n endeavour to induce the 34 men working there to join in' the strikeThe police were notified of the gathering, which was dispersed, with the aid of mounted men, and without untoward incidents.

The striking relief workers this afternoon formed -a picket, and visited jobs on which men were, still working, seeking to induce them to down tools.

Over one hundred strong, they first visited the Wellington College ground, where the men engaged have been solidly -against striking. They made such an impressive .force that the small working gangs of about twenty men each thought it best to cease activity. However, they will resume work to.morrow, under police ’ protection.

With the police keeping a watchful eye on the proceedings, the picket also visited the East Girls’ College job where they induced some men to join them.

The mob then moved up the hill to .approach the Hataatai job, but the news of their approach caused all of the workers there to decamp.

The .picket formed .itself into marching order, in column of fours, but four constables, in .a motor oar, banned the march. They warned them against continuing as .a massed body. The picket then' broke up, and straggled lon, . being accompanied ..by police on foot. .Several other : jobs ; were.' ■ visited, and the -ranks of the pickets were swollen. The party then marched through Newtown. It s number there was . -estimated at some hundreds. It -arrived at the Trades Hall at 5 p.m., having covered laibout eight in deg in the ciicu it of the relief works. It is understood that' steps are being taken to prevent any harassing -.pickets for men on the 80 jobs in and around Wellington.

pour men who, were alleged to have figured prominently in the striking of thv. Wellington relief workers, were arrested by the police about 10 p.m. Tim arrests were made at the homes of (In- men, ■; / r- '-yr'. They were put hi to .custody. fur Uiu night,' They will appear in the police court to-morrow, They will be charged with disturbing relief workers who are on thei r jobs. . I, n a statement to-clav. Messrs Vela and McLaughlin make it definite that the strike in Wellington..is-,not (national in character. They said : “Many relief workers in Wellington are approaching national union officers, desiring to know if tlie strike,, which, has been° declared in Wellington, is national in character. Would these men p’ease more that this is not the case. The dispute is purely local, oss Wellington has not yet been afforded an opportunity to affiliate with the National ' Unionj therefore any ’ action here cannot be termed national. ’’