STRIKE CONTINUES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 March 1941, Page 6

STRIKE CONTINUES

HUTT RAILWAY WORKSHOPS OBJECTIONS TO MINISTER’S REMARKS. EMERGENCY REGULATIONS INVOKED. (By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON. This Day. There were no further developments yesterday in the strike at the Hutt railway workshops, in which approximately 1.600 men. comprising the day and night shifts, are involved. Fewer than 20 men out of the day staff of some 800 reported for duty. Later in the morning the men held a meeting at Hutt Park, there being an attendance of upward of 1,000 men. In the afternoon a meeting of 200 returned soldier members of the strikers passed a motion of resentment at remarks made by the Minister of Railways, Mr Semple, that the trouble was caused by a few men who were “tinged with the philosophy of a foreign power.” Today the executive councils of the A.S.R.S. and R.T.A. are to confer in Wellington.

The chairman of yesterday morning's meeting of the strikers announced that the executive had been informed that the Emergency Regulations had been invoked, declaring the strike illegal, and therefore no reference could be made at the gathering about the merits or demerits of the dispute. He asked members to remember this when discussing the position. He also announced that Superintendent C. W. Lopdell, of the Police Department, was present, but he (the chairman) was quite sure that nothing would be said that would cause the cancellation of the meeting.

It was then stated that the following - committees had been set up: Press, - contact with other organisations, t amusement, picketing, general organs isation, and finance. Contact had been , made with other railway workshops in s the Dominion, and also other trade i unions, and their attitude would be anl nounced in a few days. Officials from several other unions i were present, and two expressed perl sonal sympathy and stated that the - matter would be considered by their • unions. I The meeting unanimously expressed i confidence in ’ the two delegates who ; had been appointed to place the men’s . case before the A.S.R.S. and R.T.A. It behoved Mr Semple to table his . evidence before casting reflections on . i the loyalty of the men, said a state- . ment issued after the meeting. c SUPPORT PLEDGED ATTITUDE OF CARPENTERS' UNION. . WELLINGTON, This Day. At a largely-attended meeting of , members of the Wellington branch of , the Amalgamated Society of CarpenI ters and Joiners, held in the Trades . Hall last night, two speakers from the ) Hutt workshops addressed the gather- . ing. and the following resolution was adopted:— That this meeting sends fraternal ) greetings and sympathy to the workers in the Hutt workshops in their fight for the principle of. the 40-hour week. ’ We request that the Government pay the railway workshops employees the same rates of pay and employ them ■ for the-same hours as are enjoyed by workers in private enterprise. We pledge our support to the Hutt work- ' shops employees in their struggle. It wfis decided to make a "donation ■ toward the fund for the dependants of ■ the strikers. MUNITIONS WORKERS INSTRUCTED TO REMAIN AT TASK. WELLINGTON, This Day. Men who have been working on munitions work have received the following letter from their union:— “The men engaged on munitions are hereby instructed to remain on their particular work while the national executive meets and till it issues any subsequent instructions. The inspectors of munitions are under the jurisdiction of the Defence Department, and any refusal to perform duty would render you liable to penalties that the army authorities may decide.” The letter is receiving the attention of the men. j ONLY FRESH DEVELOPMENT MEETINGS OF RAILWAYMEN’S EXECUTIVES. SUPPORT FROM WATERSIDERS. WELLINGTON, This Day. The only fresh development today in the strike at the Hutt workshops was consideration of the situation by specially summoned meetings of the national executives of A.S.R.S. and R.T.A. No official statement is available from either organisation. I The A.S.R.S. received reports from ' the president, Mr. S. W. Gaspar and the general secretary, Mr. L. Mcllvride. about the negotiations since the trouble began. Reports were also received from the Woburn branch in which district the trouble is located. It was hoped to meet Mr. Semple some time this afternoon and discuss matters. The meeting of the national executive of the R.T.A. was also extended to this afternoon. There is a possibility of the executives of these organisations holding a ’ combined conference after separate de- ( liberations have been completed. The 1 A.S.R.S. represents the interests ol 14.- I 000 men. The memberhip of the R.T.A. is 2400. Two members of the finance com- i mittee of the Hutt workshops workers ' concerned in the dispute addressed a 1 stopwork meeting of the Wellington 1 branch of the New Zealand Waterside i Workers’ Union this morning after c which a resolution was carried pledging the support of the branch morally and financially and condemning the attitude of the Minister of Railways.