PAY FOR CARPENTERS

Evening Post, Volume CXVIII, Issue 53, 31 August 1934, Page 14

PAY FOR CARPENTERS

RATE ON LAND ■ SCHEMES

DEPARTMENT CRITICISED

Tho rates of pay for carpenters cugaged by the Lands Department on development schemes were again commented upou by Mr. E. Seniple (Labour, Wellington East) in the House of Kepresentativcs last night during the debate ou the Imprest Supply .Bill (No. ti). He contended that the Department was taking advantage of the unemployment situation to pay tradesmen relief rates.

Mr. Semple said that he had further evidence of the rates of pay being paid to carpenters by the Lands •Department for the erection of ■ buildings on development schemes. 'When he had raised this 'matter, o" a .previous occasion, it had been denied,'but now he had the evidence'of the Commissioner of.Crown Lands in' Auckland who had written to a man setting out the rates of wages for carpenters employed on the Galatea estate, "near Whakatane, and paid out of; unemployment funds. For a married man ■ the rate of wage was 37s a week, for a married man with one child 425, for .a married man with two children 475, for ■ a married man with three or more children 525. The Commissioner's letter stated that there was no accommodation available, but that other men had provided themselves with reasonably comfortable accommodation by erecting tents. The man who had applied for the job had no children, but instead of receiving 375, he had received 325.' The evidence ho was submitting was not that of a relief, worker, not that"of the Mayor of : Whakatane, but that of the■ Commissioner of Crbwir Lands, and was another exf#nple of the 'manner in which the Lands Department was taking advantage of the -unemployment situation and employing carpenters at wages which, were' less than private persons were compelled-to pay. The Stateshould be the, model employer and should not take advantage of men who wdre: out ofa job to pay , them the lowest possible wages.

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