ITALIANS AT MANGAHAO.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 138, 12 June 1926, Page 11

ITALIANS AT MANGAHAO.

PREFERENCE ALLEGED. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Friday. When the deputation from the Wellington Labour Unemployment Relief Committee met the Prime Minister to-day to emphasise the urgency of the unemployment situation. Mr. A. Cook, chairman of the committee, said that 50 or 70 of the men engaged on the Public Works contract at Mangahao were Italians. Mr. Coates expressed surprise at this statement and asked, "Where did they come from!" Mr. Cook said that they had been drifting into positions for months past. Many New Zealanders had been put off the works during the past week, but none of the Italians had been put off. He did not contend that the Italians should be dismissed, but he contended that they should not have preference. Mr. Coates: Certainly not.- ---"" Mr. Cook also said that 12 men had been put off at Mokau and unemployed men put on in their place. Mr. Coates said that he denied that statement absolutely. The number of men had actually l*?en increased. "My concern." he said, "has been to keep these men going and certainly not to sack them and put others on." Mr. Cook said that he might have been misinformed in regard -- to the matter, but he was sure of the facts regarding Mangahao.