WAGES IN RELIEF CAMPS

Evening Post, Volume CXX, Issue 142, 12 December 1935, Page 13

WAGES IN RELIEF CAMPS

(To the Editor.)

. Sir,—ln the matter of the above, there is one point which I should like, with your kind indulgence, to bring before the notice of the general public, many of whom can hardly be expected to have inside information thereon. ' I say nothing herein of the generosity of Mri Savage and his confreres in promising all relief workers a Christmas box on such short notice, except that I am assured they will riot let us down. In the beginning of October last the late Minister of Finance promised work for 8000 men, who were doing nothing but drawing sustenance at the time, at 12s, and 9s per diem respectively, while' those of us who were in single men's public works camps and who had loyally stuck to them for periods ranging from six months to four years received only a rise of 2s 6d per week, amounting in all to 17s 6d and found.

Shortly after Mr. Coates made that announcement we were transferred from our winter quarters to the big drain on the Aka Aka swamp, not far from Pukekohe. This drain is 16 feet wide, banks 4 to 5 feet high, and a depth of 3 feet more is being taken out of the bottom.' Moreover it is practically filled with white pine roots in a foundation strata of sandy blue clay, which is so sticky that it will hardly leave the shovel. We work in from 12 to 18 inches of water, in gumboots provided, of course, by the Department, but still at 17s 6d per week and found. About the heaviest navvying any man could do. Quite recently a new gang of "sustenance men" has joined us; or, rather, in close proximity, at 9s a day, one result of which, obviously, would be the birth of petty jealousies and murmurings. If the bogy of "married versus single" is to be perpetually raised in some quarters, may I submit that a married man who has been living in the towns on sustenance for months has no right to take precedence in the matter of wages over a single man who has stuck manfully through the winter in these camps.—l am, etc.,

JUSTICIA OMNIBUS, Aka Aka, Auckland.