PRACTICE TO CEASE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 56, Issue 100, 8 February 1936, Page 3

PRACTICE TO CEASE.

MEN DRAGGING A ROLLER. ORDER BY THE MINISTER. (Per Press Association.) PALMERSTON NORTH, Feb. 7. . Strong condemnation of the practice of 20 odd men at Milson aerodrome being compelled to drag a large roller round the place was voiced by the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. It. Semple) during his visit to Palmer.ston North. “It 'is laborious, monotonous, and,stupid,’’ the Minister said. “Further, I am not going to have men turned into donkeys. Please see that it ]s stopped.” Mr Sharp, the Department’s District Engineer, said the position was that the Unemployment Board provided ample money for wages but very little for material, and accordingly they had been forced to adopt this ancient method of rolling down the drains. “ll I were an engineer I would protest till the crack of doom,” said the Minister. “It is a waste of money as well as energy. A boy could drive a machine that would pull the roller. It would make any man angry to see such a stupid practice, and it has to be stopped even if 10 unemployment boards want it done. Don’t use the roller any more until I see the authorities iu Wellington and get some other method of hauling it. It is the system that is wrong. 1 know the engineers are tied dov/ii by the Unemployment Board and have to adopt sometimes stupid methods of getting on with work, but all that will end when Parliament meets.”