AUCKLAND DRAINAGE TROUBLE.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXIX, Issue 3360, 28 October 1911, Page 2

AUCKLAND DRAINAGE TROUBLE.

STRIKE CONTIN UES

(l»er Press Association.) AUCKLAND, Oct. 27. The laborers employed on the drainage contracts let by the Auckland and .■suburban Drainage Board and Qnelumga Borough Council are still on strike, and so far as could be seen last evening, there was no prospect of an immediate settlement. The grievance which gave rise to the strike has already been removed by Mr Moody, drainage contractor, who let a sub-contract, giving an assurance that in future he will employ all his men on day wages, but the men are still unsatisfied, and the number of strikers has been doubled. As the whole of the big drainage works are held up in consequence, the situation cannot be viewed with equanimity. 3he strikers yesterday induced fully 240 men employed by the City Council and suburban local authorities to join their ranks. The total number of men on strike up to last evening was thus swelled to 470. "As the great majority of men on strike were earning from 8s Od to 10s each per shift, the loss in wages is over £2OO per day. There are now six hundred men out on strike in connection with the drainage works. There will be no fresh .developments until after the interview arranged for this afternoon between the union delegates and the chairman and engineer of the drainage board. The union demand an undertaking from the board that the latter will refuse to issue permits for sub-letting. A large meeting this morning endorsed the action of the executive in extending the strike. They agreed not to return to work unless. every man was reinstated to his former position. In the meantime important public works are held up. The accumulation of water in the tunnel of the drainage works is likely to cause damage.