RELIEF WORKERS AT OAMARU

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22591, 22 December 1938, Page 5

RELIEF WORKERS AT OAMARU

TO TBI EDITOR OT THE PRESS. Sir,—l should like to see if I could gain any information why a gang of 50 men on No. 13 scheme should be put on sustenance for Christmas. These men work for the Oamaru Harbour Board, a fully-subsidised job. Twenty of them have been with the Oamaru Harbour Board about four and a half years, have never been on sustenance, and are supposed to be indispensable men. The remainder, I believe, have been on allocation for four months or more.

The men I refer to as having been on four years and a half have always enjoyed their fully-paid Christmas holidays, or as near as I can get it eight days' paid holiday in 1935, two weeks' paid holiday in 1936 and 1937, when under No. 5 scheme, a partlysubsidised job. Now on No. 13 scheme, a fully-sub-sidised job, they get . sustenance in 1938, and no payment for Christmas, Boxing Day, and New Year's Day. I understand 80 per cent, of these men are paid-up members of the Otago and Southland General Labourers' Union, and I think it is up to them to see they get an understanding about the three holidays. I should also like to know who is to blame for this unkindly act at. Christmas time. Is it the employer or the Government? Or is it just another move to cause discontent among the men and the Government?— Yours, etc., SUGAR-BAG.

Oamaru, December 19, 1938. ["The board is carrying out the conditions in respect to the various Arbitration Court awards under which the men are working and the instructions as laid do\vv\ vcv the circular from the Employment Division," said the chairman of the Oamaru Harbour Board (Mr R. K. Ireland), commenting on this letter. "In addition the board is making a special Christmas grant to the men by way of unauthorised expenditure."]