SCHOOL CARETAKERS' WAGES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 32, 8 February 1939, Page 20

SCHOOL CARETAKERS' WAGES.

I read with interest the letter of •Starved Out" in the "Star," and can endorse all that the writer states. I have had seven years' experience of a similar nature in a suburban school, and am certain that a large number of those engaged in the very essential work of keeping schools clean are not getting a fair deal from the authorities. The work is hard and dirty, especially in the winter months, and as few of the older schools are lighted many have to get assistance to get the work done in the limited time available between school closing time and dark, so that there is usually about two hours

during which they have to work at an excessive pace. If conditions are bad and the cleaners are delayed by the failure of teachers to get out of the rooms (which is a frequent occurrence) and the job is not quite up to the highest standard, they get no mercy from the headmaster, for, although the committee engages the cleaner, they

delegate the authority of control to the headmaster. Some of the class teachers are very considerate and make an effort Ito minimise the work of cleaners, but many of them create a lot of extra work which is avoidable. Some of the committees have granted better pay (though still too low), but others, whose "grant" is the same, will not do so. Surely, if one can do it, others in the same position can also. The Minister of Labour assured me that committees would be instructed ; to raise wages, and would be given the 1 money to do so, but when the grants were increased, few cleaners got any [higher wages for many months, and I then only after pressure on the part of

the association, although the extra money was granted specifically for higher wages. As the prime mover in the organisation and formation of the Caretakers and Cleaners' Association and one of the first officers of the association, I am fully aware of the difficulties under which they are working, as they are not able to enforce the provisions of an award (if they had one) upon a State Department. The school committees are also aware of this, and are, in my opinion, taking an unfair advantage of the position, and are withholding from the caretakers and cleaners what they are justly entitled to. These workers only ask to be put in as good a position as those doing similar work in city buildings, and it is quite unfair that this should be denied them. Surely a Labour Government will see to it that these workers (practically Public Works employees, though not officially recognised as such) will receive proper consideration, and not be put in the position of "Starved Out." H. G. ADAMS. .

WAIHI AS A CENTRE. In reading through the list of Social Security agencies, one is rather surprised to notice the omission of Waihi. In point of population Waihi is a much larger town than Paeroa, and because of the nature of the local employment it must carry a larger proportion of pensioners than most ether districts. Waihi is distant 34 miles from Thames, Paeroa but 20. From Tauranga Waihi is 41 miles. As in its treatment in the housing scheme, it is to be again the

"poor abandoned." Curiously enough, Waihi has been most consistently loyal to Labour. One can only assume that towns, like individuals, can suffer by being too loyal. H. DENBY.