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EASTLAKE HOSTEL A
PROTEST AGAINST
FOOD RATIONS A
meeting of 150 men at Eastlake
Works hostel last night instructed the
Welfare Committee to approach the
Works Director seeking an Improve-
ment in food rations at the hostel The
committee will report back to
la general meeting on Thursday when
further action will be discussed,
The meeting also decided to deal
mand the resignation of the catering
officer of the Department of Labour
and National Services (Mr Garside)'
Speakers alleged that Mr Garside
was responsible for poor meals being
served at the hostel J >J*H1 *(
Referring to Mr; Gaiwidc.i one
i speak alleged, "He does not know
what a working man wants -I want
a feed Shovelling ; concrete, and
carrying bricks requires a substantial
meal ' v 'A
M J Lynch said While the meat
position is not in a bad plight it is
slipping If we do not do something
now it will get worse " He
added "I think that there should
be an investigation into the fresh
meat supply We get none for break
a fast or lunch for seven days a week
' We get no co operation from Mr Gas
side'
Mr Lynch said that the cut lunches
were very bad and the men should
have the right to refuse them) and
obtain a refund A
"The dried cut lunch they give us
is not worth tuppence, ' he said He
added that the men should get grills
at least twice a week r a a
Mr Gordon Spry said "It is aft
insult to anyone's intelligence to say
that we are getting half our coupon
value for meat He claimed that as
a result of agitation last year an improvement
was effected - Two dieticians
were sent from Melbourne and
the meals were very good
When the dieticians were here we
had steak and eggs and fresh meat
in sandwiches Now we are getting
bully beef in the lunches and bully
beef fried for breakfast He suggested
that in no circumstances should
the men accept bully beef
Speakers suggested that hot boxes
should be used at lunch hours or men
returned to the hostel for lunch Two
men produced cut lunches
which they claimed had been given
them in the morning They comprised
this slices of bread lightly spread
with butter with a meats filling "One
sandwich contained a dead blowfly,
which a man claimed had been in the
sandwich when he received it
As OF Bicknell said that cafes in
Canberra appeared to have plenty of
meat
"There does not v seem, to be any
shortage of steaks, yet we have not
seen a steak here for three or four
weeks " he said I t
Another speaker , alleged that he
had received so much fish. for his
meals that he felt like a shark
The meeting unanimously passed a
resolution demanding an immediate
improvement in the standard of meals
at the hostel and failing this another
general meeting to be called, to consider
further action "
A further motion was carried fix
ing the meeting for Thursday when
the Welfare Committee will report on
an interview with the Works Direct
tor on the same subject in
The meeting also decided to make
application for a ' wet" canteen a
the hostel , ^
Speakers said that they were dissatisfied
with conditions at Canberra
hotels and wanted to drink under
better conditions at their oWn hostel'
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