A Workman's Grievance.

Auckland Star, Volume XVII, Issue 217, 15 September 1886, Page 6

A Workman's Grievance.

(To the Editor.)

Sic, —As we working men have always found the Stab aJhering to its motto, "For the wrong that needs resistance," we beg to submit to you the following facts, viz. :— There are from SO to 100 men employed on relief defence works at .North Shore. These men leave Auckland Wharf every morning punctually ut 7.15. Anyone a minute bohind that time losea their passago- i.f ., their day's pay, 4s 6d. Now comes the walk to Tnkapuna, or the top of North Head, at which" places we are frequently at ten minutts btfore 8 a.m., but start woik immediately, There ia only oue-half-hour given for dinner, so as to allow of our leaving work at 430 pu,, giving us thirty minutes to walk down to the wharf by 5 o'clock, at which time the Isabel, Government steamer, is due to lake us over to Auckland. Now cornea the wrong : Instead of being there by 5 o'clock, it is nearly always 5.30, aud very often oAo, and sometimes 0 p.m., beioie she puts in an appearance. Now, many of ua men are muriied, and leave our home at 6 a.m. to be in time to catch the punctual morning boat, get a cold snack in 30 minutes for dinner, and then have to wait for half or three quarters of an hour in all weathers, (•ometiines 'bivering in our wet clothes, until the bout comes. Many of us are anxious to gut home to try and cut our wives a bit of firewood. Have wo a chance ? No. Iho captains of the ferry boats, the passengers, tha ticket clerk, can all verify tho above being true. Where doos the fault lie ? The buat has frequently been lying at anuhor until 4.4.3 p m., then steaming over to the Bastion for the fow men at work there, at which place she ia due at 4 30, which gives her plenty of time to be at the North Shore Wharf even before spm —Yours truly, CoIIFLAI>"AiiTS.