ARAPUNI DEADLOCK

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 70, 14 June 1927, Page 9

ARAPUNI DEADLOCK

No Change—Neither Side Shows Signs of Yielding

SERIOUS ASPECTS OF STRIKE

THE SUN'S Special Reporter. ARAPUNI, To-day. &RAPUNI to-day is a picture of suspended animation. Pi The strike is still holding up the progress of the work, over 400 men being idle. No surrender,” at present appears to be the motto of both sides. Sir W. G. Armstrong, Whitworth and Co., Ltd., say the matter is so trivial that the strike cannot last, and the union representatives assert that the contracors cannot hold out.

last week various phases of the huge project were alive with activity, to-day there is a strange stillness and silence. Every part of the job is affected by the strike. Even at the Muku quarries, nine miles away, 60 quarrymen have downed tools and pumps are being operated by members of the engineering staff. This last aspect is serious, as, if the pumps stopped, vital parts of the workings would be flooded, with almost irreparable damage as the inevitable result. Trouble appears to have been brewing at Arapuni for a long while, but when the strike was declared on Sunday night the announcement came as a bombshell to the contractors. NOTICE OF THE STRIKE The men’s decision was communicated in a letter handed to Mr. A. Lindwell, works foreman, at liis dwelling at 9 on Sunday night. The letter was as follows: “We are instructed to inform you that a strike has been declared, pending settlement of the overtime dispute. All communications should be made to the strike headquarters, 61 Hut, No. 1 Camp, Arapuni.” Mr. Lindwell informed the men that a conference could be arranged for 9 o’clock on Monday morning if the work in the meantime went ahead as usual, but they stated that the matter had gone too far. Mr. Lindwell then

took steps to preserve the safety of the workings by arranging for the engineers to man the pumps. PICKETS POSTED Pickets were posted by the strikers, to prevent the introduction of free labour, but the engineers operating the pumps were not molested, it is asserted, however, that many men coming on at midnight on Sunday were unaware that the strike was on until they were stopped by the pickets. The result now is that the costly plant is completely idle. The work- . ings present an appearance of desolation. Looking down on the dam site, where there is no sign of human movement, one almost senses tragedy in the dispute which has interrupted the progress of epochal achievement. NO FREE LABOUR PROPOSAL The temper of the idle men is good, ■ except that they declare openly that they would not permit free labour to work. The company states, however, that in has no intention of introducing free labour. In an interview with Messrs. F. W. A. Handman and A. Whitley, representatives of Armstrong, Whitworth's, a SUN man was told : this morning that the introduction of free labour had not been rei mote I y considered. The company 5 would firmly decline, however, to negotiate with the men until they i resumed work.