36 WORKERS SACKED

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30313, 13 December 1963, Page 18

36 WORKERS SACKED

“Reached Age For Retiring”

(N.Z. Press Association)

ROTORUA, Dec. 12.

Thirty-six men have been dismissed from the Waikato river hydro-electric project. Most of them are married with families. The men received their dismissal notices this week and will finish on January 17. Of the 36 men involved, 22 are at present working at Aratiatia and the remaining 14 are employed at Mangakino and associated projects Mr A. W. Gibson, engineer in charge of the Waikato projects, said most of the men had, in his department’s opinion, reached retiring age. “We feel these men have reached the age, where, in their own interests, it would be better for them to retire,” he said. Most of the men were 60 or over, and had given loyal and faithful service, varying between a few years and 20 years. Some of the men under 60 were considered ready for retirement. One or two of the younger men were being made redundant because their line of work had run out.

The majority ot the men had been watchmen, pump attendants or had other lightduty jobs.

The dismissal of the married men at Ulis time of the year had come as a blow, said one of the men involved. “We thought the department had made arrangements to move us to the new upper Waikato scheme and we did not expect to be out of work while tlie Government makes up its mind. This means we will have to curtail our Christmas spending because there is no certainty we will have jobs in the New Year.” Other men said tliey had no idea if they would have to leave departmental houses on the termination of their employment. The Commissioner of Works (Mr J. T. Gilkison) said in Wellington tonight that the dismissal of men in this way was a perfectly normal procedure when there was no further work for them to do.

Rebuilding Prison*—The Minister of Justice (Mr Hainan) said yesterday approval bad been given to call lenders for earthworks and engineering services as the first stage of rebuilding the new prison at Wi Tako. The work includes site preparation, mains for stormwater drainage and sewerage and preliminary forming and realignment of roads at the site. The prison will accommodate 120.—(P.A.)