RELIEF WORKS

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 125, 30 May 1930, Page 10

RELIEF WORKS

IMPORTANT DECISION

INCREASE ON CERTAIN JOBS

Tho City Council, acting upon a rocommendation of the Works Committee, considered in committee, last evening reached an important decision in regard to relief work rates of pay.

On each occasion that relief work loans and schedules have been under discussion there has been a battle over the wages to be paid, and as a rulo the councillors have been not very unevenly divided as between standard rates, as paid to regular council workers, and 14s per day; on occasions there has been a margin of only one or two votes on tho question. More recently the controversy, following a strong deputation to the Mayor, waxed exceeding warm, particularly in regard to rates of pay for the men on the approaches to the Mount Victoria tunnel, but the council, though admitting that on on: of the approaches picked men had been employed to speed up the work, stood to relief work rates. The Works Committee, however, on further consideration of representations made, particularly in regard to the relief workers at Buckle street, who are also picked men, agreed that that work should be classed as a first-class job, and that standard rates should be paid to the men there employed. Apparently last night's debate was wordy also, for it continued on till almost 1 o'clock this morning; but on a division being taken the vote, 11 to 3, was overwhelmingly in favour of the committee's recommendation for the payment of standard rates.

The decision, it must be noted, has no application to unemployment relief works- as a whole; the Buckle street widening and regTading has been classed as a first-class job.

Mr. P. N. Butler, secretary of the General Labourers' Union, stated today that he was particularly pleased that the council had recognised the justice of the claim made by the men. "Although Councillor Wright (chairman of the Works Committee) and myself fought a verbal duel in the columns of 'The Post' in regard to these matters," he said, "I have to thank him for his recent attitude to the representations I have made on behalf of these men. Of course my thanks, and the thanks of the men, are extended to all councillors who saw the justice of the men's claim, and especially Councillors Semple, NT'Keen, and Chapman, who have consistently put it forward time and timo^ again." CONDITIONS ON WORKS GENERALLY. Reference was made earlier during the meeting to the decision at a former meeting that the council should wait upon the Prime Minister to discuss the amending of conditions under which the Government's subsidy is granted upon relief works loans. The Deputy-Mayor, Councillor M. F. Luckie, said that he had been unsuccessful in arranging an interview on account of pressure of business which the Acting-Prime Ministor had had to attend to, but that he had interviewed the Minister of Labour. However, since then' the Ministry had' been rearranged. He understood that the council's representations were to bo considered by Cabinet today, and an early reply was expected.