HAWKE’S BAY FLOOD CONTROL SCHEME

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 153, 25 March 1938, Page 8

HAWKE’S BAY FLOOD CONTROL SCHEME

Workers Seek Employment

Elsewhere t Dominion Special Service. Hastings, March 24. No settlement appeals likely in the dispute concerning work on the Ngaruroro River flood control scheme. The men are now seeking employment elsewhere. The Hawke’s Bay State Placement Service announced to-day that 20 men from the work applied for positions at the office earlier in the week. The service had received other applications. .Tfle position is an anomalous one. The board offered them their old jobs back when they went to it, and the average return to them would be 22/10 a day. The board is quite prepared to go ahead with the work. According to the chairman of the Hawke’s Bay Rivers Board, Mr. G. Lassen, the reason for the men seeking work elsewhere was that they had •been advised by the union‘secretaries not to go back until a clause was set in the contract providing for award rates under all conditions. It was not possible.to have it both ways.

“If the work is done under award conditions the men will earn £4/10/■a week even if the time is broken,” -said .Mr. Lassen to-day. “For them to expect to get a contract that in fine .weather would yield much higher, pay means that the board obviously cannot agree. The contract conditions •offered 'by the board provide for'a payment a* yard which will allow the men to. earn .the same as they have earned in the last six months,”.