TRIVIAL CAUSE

Feilding Star, Volume 5, Issue 1127, 15 June 1927, Page 6

TRIVIAL CAUSE

STRIKE AT ARAPUNI SMALL SIAM INVOLVED (Per Press Association) Hamilton, June 14, The whole sum involved in tbe Ara.pimi strike when the men left the works is 4s 9d, and the dispute arose over a most unusual and trival point tlmt may never arise again. It was uover an emergency call to a niaai to attend to the pumps at night. Tbe men, according to a high official of the company, adopted a most unusual e.iul certainly an ill-consid-ered procedure. Instead of ‘negotiating, .they deserted tho pumps, which bad. to be manned by the engin.ee rink staff. The men, according to their agreement, had no right to strike without instructions from the headquarters of the union at Wellington. Wellington, however, knew nothing of the matter. Mr Handtmui, the agent of WhiU worth- Armstrong Company, states that the company was prepared to. negotiate immediately tiny men return to work. To the company, however, tho matter is one of principle, as they fool that they must have some assurance that these works, which arc of national importance, should not bo seriously impeded trival grievances such as this. Mr Williams, the district organiser of the Labourers’ 1 Union, arrived at Arapuni this morning. It is rumoured that about 7-5 per cent, of tho men are anxious to return to work and that the strike ,which is not at all popular, has been engineered largclv by one man ol the agitator type.