ROADMEN'S WAGES

Evening Post, Volume XCIX, Issue 138, 11 June 1920, Page 8

ROADMEN'S WAGES

MAKARA COUNTY COUNCIL'S ATTITUDE.

. Again, 'at to-day's monthly meeting of the Makara, County Council, the oftdiscussed question of the roadmen's wages cropped up, and tho appeal for an increase received little support. .In accordance with notice of motion, the Chairman . (Councillor E. Windley) moved: '" That the amending motion of 12th. May, which fixed the rate of wages at 13s per day, and all other motions relating .to the wages of the council's road employees, be rescinded, and the following substituted: ' That the wages of all,i-oad employees be at the rate of 14s per day until further notice.' " " This wages question," remarked the Chairman, "has caused a certain amount of trouble with the council, owing to a difference of opinion which has arisen. It is a great pity that the council did not grant the request for 14s per day when it was first made. This amount is little enough for any man, let alone those with a wife and. family, to carry on. with. There have been various arguments as to why we should not pay 14s, but I have not heard one that is sound. Not only do we want the work done, but it is our duty to see that the men live decently. The higher wage we pay tends towards efficiency, and that being so you are going to encourage better men. Then there is always a risk of losing a good man if he is offered a higher wage elsewhere. If there had been any sound reasons as to why we should not have granted the increase three months ago, I should have been quite satisfied." Councillor Bowler contended that £3 18s per week paid to a permanent hand was better than 15s per day paid to a man on contract -work". The casual employee certainly had a claim., but he' did not think the council was losing anything by keeping the wag« at 13s per day. The motion lapsed.