RAILWAY WORKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 15, 19 January 1931, Page 9

RAILWAY WORKERS.

WORK PROVIDED FOR 750,

TWO HUNDRED AT GALATEA

180 TO GO TO ARAPUXI

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, Sunday

An announcement that the Government had found'immediate employment for 750 married men from four of the railway construction works c 1 ' ' down, was made by the acting-Prime Minister, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, this evening.: The men are to be engaged upon large-, scale land development work in various parts of the country, and will be drawn from railway camps on the GieborneWaikokopu, the Midland, the Dargaville branch and the Okaihau-Rangiahua lines. "Regarding the decision ot the Government to suspend work on certain railway construction works, an indication was given that every endeavour would be made to find work of a useful developmental character on which the men could be placed," said Mr Ransom. "Naturally the first concern of the Government was to make provision for married men, and this has now been practically accomplished. The resident engineers on the four lines have been instructed to place 750 married men on various works throughout the Dominion. "A total of IPO men will go to the 4rammi works, and 200 men will be placed on reading work at Murupara, 18 miles from Eotorua, on the Waikareinoaua Road, in connection with the development of the Galatea station, comprising 22,300 acres. The roadiug ol the Mohaka block, north of Wairoa, which is bein" cut up for dose settlement, is being started at once by the employment of 50 men. In addition, road works arc being commenced to open up Crown lands in various centres, these will absorb a number of men. A. table of works on which operations have been suspended, the number of married men on each and the allocation or each man was supplied by Mr. Ransom. This showed that a total of 200 married men were engaged on the Gisborne-Waikokopu section, all ot whom were being found other employment Xinetv married men were employed on "the Midland line and 7f> of these would be placed on Tarakohe-Wainui Road. The remaining 15 were to be employed in "cleaning up" work on the railway and they would be absorbed on other works when this was finished. Married men working on the Dargaville branch line and Okaihau-Rangiahua line totalled 311, of whom 150 were to be placed elsewhere. A total ot ,0 would .o to Arapuni, 50 to the WhatoroOpouteke Road and 30 to the Donnelly s Crossing-Waimatenui Road. Mr Ransom added that it was expected to complete an-angements this week for the absorption of the remainin"- 102 married men from various works. In addition, it had been decided to find work on the South Island Ma n Trunk railway and this would mean that other men would 'be taken on. Instructions were bein- issued to take up 150 married men from Wellington and Christchurch.