PAYMENT FOR WORK

Auckland Star, Volume LXXV, Issue 59, 10 March 1944, Page 4

PAYMENT FOR WORK

ATTEMPTS have been made to cloud the issue by introducing irrelevancies concerning profits, but nothing has been done by way of investigating the situation under which a number of watersiders were paid at high overtime rates for work which they declined to do but which was done "with their permission" by American servicemen because of its great urgency. Mr. A. S. Sutherland, member for Hauraki, drew attention to this inaction in the House of Representatives last night, and suggested, that the position should be rectified. It calls for immediate inquiry, because this condition of affairs is a matter of interest to the Whole community, which has to find the money for such anomalies. Both Americans and New Zealanders were paid, but on reverse lend-lease we will find the money, aad*such fantastic wastage of the public funds should be neither condoned nor permitted. If the wharf agreements are drawn up on lines which permit of such gross impositions on the taxpayer they should" be overhauled in the clear light of fairness and common sense, and it is to be hoped that Mr. Sutherland's protest will not pass unheeded.