WAIMAKARIRI RIVER TRUST RELIEF WORK

Press, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22004, 30 January 1937, Page 18

WAIMAKARIRI RIVER TRUST RELIEF WORK

TO THE EDITOR 07 THE PRESS, Sir,—l was due to start work with the Waimakariri Trust on February 1, after a period of eight weeks on sustenance. But imagine the knockback I received on being told tbat X W as not drawn in the ballot to decide who was to start on that date, _ This is an absolute broach of faith with the men concerned, as it was made clear at the meeting held in the Papanui Hall, and also through “The Press,” that xh'e terms were to be eight weeks’ work with the same period stand-down. One cannot help but compliment whoever was responsible for making this change two or three days before the men were due to start work, thus giving them no chance of getting this wrong put right. (This sort of thing was done by the previous Government.)

What I want to know is when, if ever, I will geW back on the trust work. The Minister for Labour is in Christchurch this week-end. Maybe if he happens to road this he will put bock on the job the men who have been -with the River Trust, and who prefer work to sustenance. I think the trust should have stuck to the men who have cycled out there continuously for three or four years at ordinary relief rates of pay. But, of course, not being considered by either the Minister for Labour or the trust as worth keeping their word to, it goes to show that relief workers do not count: at least, not until this prospective war breaks out, when I suppose the workers will be premised the moon again, the Government knowing full well that the ounce of lead will beat them to it.

Maybe some other former Waimakariri worker will take this up and prove that there are people higher up than “relief workers” making misstatements. If this work must be rationed, why not ration public works as well? —Yours, etc., WORK PREFERRED.

January 28, 1937. [Mr M. Ross, of the employment division of the Labour Department, would not comment on this letter.]