DISMISSED WORKERS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 848, 17 December 1929, Page 9

DISMISSED WORKERS

LADY HOUSTON CHAMPIONS VOLUNTEERS ACTION AGAINST COUNCIL LONDON, Sunday. Lady Houston, widow of the millionaire shipowner, Sir Robert Houston, has taken up the defence of 1,500 volunteers who joined the Hull City Council’s tramway services during the general strike of 1926. They had been dismissed since Labour secured a majority on the council at recent municipal elections. In a letter to the council Lady Houston says: “Lady Houston wishes the Hull City Council to understand that, if it persists in this perfidious and unworthy action, instead of fighting penniless tramwaymen it will be fighting her. She will quite cheerfully take up the burden of this unequal fight, which she has no doubt of winning, as her counsel.is of opinion that the council’s conduct is illegal.” Lady Houston forwarded a copy of her letter to the Minister of Labour, Miss Margaret Bondiield, and in a covering letter, referring to Miss Bondfield’s dictum that she had no authority to intervene, says: “If the Minister of Labour cannot insist on justice to the workers, her title ought to he Minister of Injustice to Labour.” The dismissed men have secured a legal opinion to the effect that the council’s action was taken mala fide, and was due to a sinister object. They are expected to seek an injunction against the council.