SAWMILLERS' HARDSHIPS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 107, 2 November 1909, Page 8

SAWMILLERS' HARDSHIPS.

ACCOMMODATION FOR WORKERS. At the Timber Workers' Conference this afternoon, Mr. O'Byrne moved :—: — "That the Government be urged to provide for country or bush sawmills/an Act whereby millers would be compelled to provide proper and sufficient accommodation for the workers." The mover described the hardships of the sawmill workers in the bush. Many, 'he asserted, were compelled to live all the year round, sometimes with families, in whares, and even tents, 'without any sanitation of any kind, in a wet climate in parts where the snn hardly ever got to the habitations. The result was ill-health, neuralgia, and rheumatism. Shearers and other workers had the standard of accommodation fixed by legislation. There were bitter complaints from bush sawmill workers, whose plight in many cases was said to be really depperate. Mr. Lyons asked for very strong representations to the Government. The matter had been brought before it in 1892, but nothing had been done/ Mr. Phelan said he had known in Auckland of water oozing through the floors of the houses,. Were not the sawmill workers as much entitled to consideration as the shearesr, and more so, seeing that the work t)f the. sawmillers was permanent ? Mr. O'Byrne added that there was plenty of timber about to build proper, decent houses for the men. The motion was carried unanimously.

"The wail of the native" was heard at the meeting of the Benevolent Institution. A woman who applied for relief to-day stated that her husband had only done two or three hours' work a week. She could not understand how it was that the trustees were alAvays willing to find work for the new arrival, while the native born were neglected. The trustees explained thai they found work for nobody, and certainly showed nobody, native "or new chum, any profeience in regard to" administration of relief. The chairman (Mr. J. Smith) slated that no good purpose was to be served by applicants complaining of the treatment of others. The board was very well supplied with all information with respect to applicants.

Mr. Charlqs Bradshaw, who had resided in tho" Wellington district for a number of years, died in this city this morning. The deceased was in his seventieth year. He came from the Muff, and his body is to be interred there. Two of his daughters arc »»!'■ vied aud liyjog ig the sx&Us£#B*t