A VIGOROUS PROTEST

Wairarapa Times-Age, 10 December 1940, Page 9

A VIGOROUS PROTEST

AGAINST CLOSING OF MILLS. , (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 9. A vigorous protest to the Minister of Labour, Mr. Webb, is being made by the secretary of the New Zealand Timber Workers’ Union, Mr. F. Craig, against a proposal by a firm operating two sawmills in the King Country to close down on December 13 for the Christmas holidays. The firm was recently granted an extension of hours for the production of timber for butter-boxes. It is contended that some employees will be deprived of holiday pay, and also the effort to overtake the shortage of timber for butter-boxes will be retarded. Mr. Craig is asking the Minister to make it compulsory for the firm concerned to work the usual time. The practice in the past has been for firms to close down for 10 days and for the men to receive pay for three of the days. STATEMENT. DENIED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) AUCKLAND, December 9. The statement made in -Auckland that two timber mills in the King Country which are producing for the manufacture of butter boxes were to be closed down for the holidays as from December 13 was refuted by an official of the firm (Ellis and Burnand) when the report was referred to him. He said thee was no truth in the allegations and the mills would be working as usual till December 20, the Friday before Christmas. Arrangements have been made with the men to observe the holiday period from December 20 to January 6, when the mills would reopen. The men did not want to start work on Monday, December 23, and their wishes had been met. All the men employed at the mills would receive their pay for three satutory holidays.