DISCONTENT IN PUBLIC WORKS CAMP

Dominion, Volume 21, Issue 149, 23 March 1928, Page 10

DISCONTENT IN PUBLIC WORKS CAMP

COMPLAINTS REGARDING FOOD Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March 2’2. Fish for breaklast, bread and jam for lunch, and stew for dinner, is said to constitute the d\tly menu of meu employed on relief work on the HikuaiWhangamata road, on the eastern side of the Coromandel Peninsula, and complaint was recently lodged with the resident engineer of the Public Works Department at I’aeroa, Mr. O. G. Thornton. , Protesting against the catering attangeinents at Parctu camp, which were alleged to ’‘beggar description,” and specifying the cause of their discontent, twenty-five men signed a statement which read: “Fish or bacon served to men for breakfast each day left us sagging at the knees at 10 a.in.;‘luncheon was composed of bread, butter, jam, and cheese. this would be quite all right under different circumstances. The evening meal was even worse than this. Tired and hungry men had put before them a greasy mess called stew, which in many cases fras thrown into the cesspit Finally, the caterers had never had any previous experience in this business. It would be to the mutual advantage of all parties concerned if the catering were carried on -bv ourselves, thereby doing awav with the wrangle that has been going on incessantly since the opening of the camp. Furthermore, the local overseer gave instructions that meat, was not to be served at lunch. Complaint was also made regarding the alleged lack of consideration shown to the men’s dependants in placing workers in such an isolated district. Answering the complaints, an ofncial of the Public Works Department at Auckland said it was not possible for all relief works to be near the city. The three men whose names headed the complaint had visited the office and had no complaint to find with the situation of the camp, - although they had said they were not satisfied with the catering.' -As far as was known, all the other men were still on the job. In such an isolated locality (here were naturally difficulties in arranging for suitable catering, but the Department had done its best to ensure that satisfactory service was given. Speaking on the telephone from Paeroa, Mr. Thornton said it had been found that the original caterer had not had sufficient experience, and fresh arrangements were beiti T made. He added that the men on the job were satisfied, and had no complaint to make. There are about fifty men in camp.