DOWNED TOOLS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 406, 15 December 1932, Page 5

DOWNED TOOLS

HAMILTON REL1EF WORKERS TAKE STRONG ACTION

Hamilton, Wednesday. Protesting at the continued cuts in relief wages, practically all the relief workers in Hamilton downed tools this morning and assembled on a vacant section near the Public Trust building. A party numbering 200 then formed a deputation to Mr. F. Wilson, offieer in charge of the Labour Department. Mr. F. T. Mills said the deputation would not he responsible for the actions of the men if no improvement was effected soon. Unemployed in other centres had not suffered cuts as severe as those in Hamilton. Here the unemployed had suffered quietly, but now they had reached breaking point and were desperate. Mr. Mills asserted that many men were starving , themselves to provide food for their families. Mr. Wilson declined to appeal to the Unemployment Board to afford ; relief. General dissatisfaction with the reception accorded the deputation was ; expressed afterwards, when the de- i putation outlined the position to the waiting men. Several spealcers hlamed the Unemployment Board for their condition, and Mr. Mills urged the men to fight constitutionally for their rights. He suggested that a large de- . putation wait on the Borough Council to-night. All the men returned to their jobs except country workers. Mr. Wilson told a reporter that unless the time lost by the stopwork meeting was made up this week the men would lose one hour's pay.