FOREIGN LABOUR.

Press, Volume XLIV, Issue 19400, 28 August 1928, Page 6

FOREIGN LABOUR.

WAJTAKI POWER SCHEME. INDIGNATION IN TIMARU. (spEJUfc TO. THE PRESS,) TIMARH, August 27. Strong comment was made at the meeting.of the Timaru Borough Council this evening when Or. P, B, Poote referred to the fact that the Public Works Department was bringing down men from the North Island and em. ploying them on', the hydro-electric works at Waitaki when it had been promised definitely that unemployed from the towns in the vicinity .would be given preference. Cr. Foote said that men from. the north were being ,employed> while the local unemployed were not being given an opportunity of getting work. Representations should be made to the Public Works Department that it should fulfil its promise that local men would be given preference. Cr. P. C. Vinnell Baid he had been informed that a number of Italians and others were, being brought down from the North Island to the work at Kurow. He had since ascertained definitely that that statement was a correct one. He contended that Britishers should be given preference, but if it were the case that there were no British-born men available for special expert work, then preference could • be given to foreigners. However, he contended that there were sufficient British-born men in the country without employing foreigners, Cr. A. L. Gee said that a large num. ber of local unemployed were looking forward to securing work at Kurow. Only two Timaru men had as yet been employed there, two carpenters who had really been given work under a misapprehension. The Council should do its utmost to secure work for local men as the Department had promised. He was heartily in support of the resolution. The Mayor (Mr G. J. Wallace) said that both Mr Rolleston and the Public Works Engineer (Mr P. W. Langbein) had said that there would be work for it, number of expert men. However, both Mr Rolleston and the engineer had definitely promised that work would be available for Timaru unemployed.' Cr. M. Thompson asked if the Council wevd not being a bit hasty in the matter, Both Mr Rolleston and the Engineer had promised that local men would not be overlooked. Surely the Council could rest on that assurance?

Cr, Foote moved, and Cr. G. D. Virtue seconded; "That this Council make representations to the Public Works Department that it should employ men from near at hand on {he Waitaki works in preference to those, from more remote districts." The motion was carried unanimously. The Town Clerk was instructed to forward copies of the resolution to the Prime Minister and to the Minister for Public Works.