SHEARING SHEDS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 141, 18 June 1927, Page 10

SHEARING SHEDS

WORKING CONDITIONS

COMPLAINTS TO MINISTER

DEPARTMENTS VIEW

Complaints in regard to tho accommodation of shearers, and in. regard to other matters affecting members of tho New Zealand Workers' Union, were voiced by a deputation from that organisation which waited on the Minitser of Labour to-day.

Tho president of the union, Mr. C. E. Baldwin, said that tho Minister's promise that an inspector would bo sent through tho Hawkes Bay and Poverty Bay shearing districts had been fulfilled, but thcro had" been no improvement in conditions for tho workers. In North Canterbury 40 or 50 per cent, of the threshing mill accommodation wa3 not up to the requirements of the award. Time and again complaints had been made to the Labour Department,, but without result. How was it ho asked, that departmental officers had the right to say they would take no action, when clear breaches of awards were being committed? The Department served requirements for the fulfilment of the Act upon tho employers, but nothing was done. He suggested that if a few prosecutions were made they wduld serve as a warning, and the Department 's work wouia be curtailed.

Mr. J. Whyte made specific complaints in regard to : the condition of shearers' accommodation in the Gisborne district, and stated that on the average the provision. made in the Poverty Bay district was far from satisfactory. They hoped the Minister would do something to provide that all threshing'mill workers should be safeguarded against accident, through provision in the Worker^ Compensation Act, while they were travelling from station to station. ." ■ ' , ' ■ ' NATIVES' CONDITIONS. Mr. H. Maynard, a young Maori, said there was a mistaken idea that any old thing would do for the Natives. It was not right, and ho did not see why they should be expected" to live just a little, better than dogs -Most of tho shed hands were women and,girls, and both men and women were in many cases, bundled in together in the sleeping quarters. The Natives had attendc -1 school and had learned a few things, and they expected, the same conditions as the.pakeha expected. They wanted to live up,to the new standard that had been taught them. Mr. J. Townsend said that speaking generally the accommodation in the North Island had improved greatly, but the inspectors' instructions were not carried out. , He reported in detail upon instances of inadequate and insanitary washing and sleeping quarters. The deputation asked that there should be no discrimination between man and master when the law was being evaded. Discussing workers' compensation matters, Mr. W. Wallaco said he'referred to the development,of sores through insufficient protection to workers at Arapuni who were handling cement. He asked that special provision should be made fo f r such cases in the Workers' Compensation Act. '" SETTLERS' DIFFICULTIES.

The Minister (the Hon. G. J. son) said he was pleased to hear they were better satisfied with the conditions than they were last year. ,An honest attempt had been made, to put things right: All station owners had been asked to put their premises in order whore required, and letters Had been written to them whero complaints had been found to be justified. v Mr. Baldwin: "But they don't tako any notice of the Department." Mr. Anderson said he would see that further inspections were made this year. Taking into consideration the financial condition of the country, he wanted to point out that very many settlers were up against it and in great difficulties. In sorno cases it might be necessary to defer improvement works, but in every instance whero the Department advised him that owners were in a financial position to mako improvements. they would bo compelled to act. Mr. Anderson said he was satisfied that tho De--1 -tment was functioning and doing a tremendous amount of good both for tho employers and employees. Ho admitted that the Department did not prosecute in every case. Whero ho thought thero should be prosecutions, however, action would bo taken, and he would try to hold the scale of justice as evenly as possible between both sides. He would havo tho complaints in regard t' threshing mill accommodation investigated, but ho would not order improvements to be made in the middle of tho threshing season, but in tho off season.

The Minister said ho was assured that the Maoris would not use the facilities that were provided for the pakeha, but he would discuss the matter with Mr Ngata, Eastern Maori M.P. He quito agreed that tho Maori had just sis much right as the pakeha, and : was equal with him before the law, but the customs of the two people were not tho same. Ho had had investigated thn question of compensation to those affectod by cement, and ho had been advised that it was not so much the effect of the cement as tlie condition of the men's health that caused disease. He would confer with the Minister of Health in the matter. Similar investigation was being made in regard to the effects of basic slag. Replying to a complaint that in somo cases dogs wero drinking from streams from which" shearers were expected to take drinkiifg water, tho Minister stated emphatically that the Government Departments would not stand for such conditions, and that- where that occurred those responsible would be .prosecuted. Thero could be no defence for such conditions, and any man who expected a Maori or anyone else to drink water that had been affected by dogs was no human being. He promised to look into tho complaint.