STRAIGHT TALK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVIII, Issue 45, 23 February 1937, Page 9

STRAIGHT TALK.

MR. SEMPLE AGAIN.

REBUKE TO TUNNELLERS. «NOT PLAYING THE GAME." (By Telegrapn.—Own Correspondent.) DUNEDIN, this day. Straight talking was adopted by the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, when ha visited the Chatto Creek irrigation tunnel camp to-day. The visit wae a sequel to a strike last week when 18 men working on contract for the Public Worke Department stopped work for three days. Mr. W. R. Crouston, organiser for the New Zealand Workers' Union, said the men contended that they did not go on strike. They said 'they would terminate their contracts and go on day labour until the Minister arrived. All the requests the men made when they last met the Minister had been granted, but since that time they had etruck harder rock. The air in the tunnel was poor and there was a long way to carry • the material they displaced. Those I were the main grounds for their wish to terminate their contracts. When the men had told the engineer, Mr. J. Gilkirson, that they wished to terminate j their contracts and were giving seven days' notice, the engineer had replied that the Department could do that in 24 hours. From that they concluded that they could do the same, but they regretted the misunderstanding, ae a result of which they had stopped work. "If, you had not gone back to work you would not have got me here today," seid the Minister. "Wheu I was last through here you aeked me for an extra 10/ a foot. I gave it to you. I knew nothing about this dispute from that time until you stopped work and put a piistol to my head. That is not the way for you to get me to do anything for you, and if you think you are indispensable to thm Government, which ie doing its utmost for the workers, you are making a mistake. "Public Misled." "I am now helping to conduct the affaire of this country, and my principles ; are the same ae when I wae in tunnels , and mines. The average pay last Christ- . mas for me.n on Public Worke wee 19/ a day, but if you go out on strike you simply lead the public to believe that the Labour Government is a tyrant and ] is putting the whip on you. That is the [ effect your striking will have. "Thie is not playing the game," the I Minister continued. '"I might as well be candid. You eay you decided to ' terminate your contract and go on day ' work. I alone can say that, and I can ■ also say whether you will grease your 1 swag straps and get out of here. If the ; 20,000 men on Public Worke had the power to terminate their contracts, what ' sort of en outfit would we hav#? I have created machinery in the Public Worke agreement by which any grievances travel through the proper channels • to me. I knew nothing about this until I read in the newepapers that the men had struck." A Voice: We did not strike. Mr. Semple: You did strike. Don't come at that nonsense. "The main point I am concerned about," ended the Minister, "i* that you I men violated your agreement instead of 51 sending your complaint through the > proper channels. If you do it again you can get out of here and let us get some r men who will respect the agreement."