THE OTIRA TUNNEL

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3173, 25 August 1917, Page 8

THE OTIRA TUNNEL

MEN DEMAND SIX-HOUKS' DAT. Complaints regarding the ventilation: of tlie Otira tunnel were referred to in tlio House of .Representatives yesterday afternoon by Mr. P. C. Webb, when he asked tho Minister of Public Works to arrange for the thorough, inspection of the tunnel by tho Inspector of Mines in. conjunction with, an inspector appointed, by • the workers. He had just received communications from two if tbo workers employed at the tunnel, complaining that the- conditions were bad, fumes and smoke and bad ventilation injuring the men's health. Mr. Webb asked the Minister if ho would put the workers on a •* six-hour day if it were found that the ventilation was bad. .. The Hon. W. Fraser, in reply, said ha was constantly receiving reports .on the tunnel, nnd these -eports were diametrically opposed to what-Mr. Webb said. Mr. Webb: What about fin inspector? Mr. Fraser said he was not going to have an outside inspector interfering with his work. (Hear, hear.) Ho would have full inquires made, and ho would see that'everyfhing was done in order to have the ventilation kept as clear as possible. It was impossible to keep tho tunnel as clear as the fresh air outside. If it should bo proved that the stato of the ventilation was such, that a man, could not stand more than sii i hours in it, he (Mr. Fraser) would certainly agree to a six-hours' day, but he wanted to have that proved. In tho last year or two there had l>een a constant agitation to secure a six-hours' day at the tunnel at eight hours' payv Whenever men .were working in wet piaces *hey received eight hours' pay for six hours' ttfc'rk, but the whole of the men, whether working dry or wet, wanted the same thing, and ho was not going to give it. The Otira tunnel work, Mr. Fraser pointed out, was hot oltogether the most popular in New Zealand—(hear,- hear)— arid if tho member for Grey wanted to impose conditions'preventing him from carrying out tho work properly it might moan that he would havo to stop tha work. tHear, hear.)