PLAYED TWO-UP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXX, Issue 201, 26 August 1939, Page 12

PLAYED TWO-UP.

MAYOR'S ALLEGATION.

RELIEF MEN DISMISSED

UNDER AWARD CONDITIONS. (By Telegraph—Own Correspondent.) CHRISTCHURCH, this day. Some complaint has been made by a section of the 102 men employed under the No. 13 sehemc by the Xew Brighton Borough Council owing to the summary dismissal of five of their number, but so far only one of them has approached the Mavor direct.

The Mayor (Mr. E. L. Smith) explained that a memorandum from the Minister of Labour stated that the men were working under award conditions, which laid down a definite rule for action when men employed were caught

"loafing." and any man who refused or failed to carry out his duties in a proper manner was liable to instant dismissal.

The five men who had been thus dealt with had been caught playing "two-up." were reported and sent back to the yard by the overseer (Mr. F. D. Muirsoni. and were at once dismissed. Their eases would be considered at the next meeting of the works committee.

The New Brighton Borough Council at present employs about 160 men under the scheme, continued the Mayor, but it knows nothing about them. The men are j-ent to the council bv the Employment Division of the Social Security Department. which subsidises their wages. 'Both as Mayor and personally I consider that if men are eligible for employment under this scheme they cannot afford the luxury of 'two-up.'" saicl .Mr. Smith. '"Men who can afford to play this game should not be on the job. It is no good for the community to be taxed to provide work and for local bodies to go to the inconvenience of administering the scheme if the men will not do a fair thing in return. The men work under award conditions, and the same rules apply to them as apply to permanent workers.

"I know that the majority of the men are of a good type; yet there are a few who spoil it for the rest."