EARTHQUAKE REPAIRS

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 22, 27 January 1943, Page 4

EARTHQUAKE REPAIRS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Two houses next to each other, standing oh flat ground, level with the street, and situated twelve minutes' easy walking distance from the G.P.0.; each had a chimney damaged from the roof up by the re*? cent earthquake. The owner signed up with the City Council' to do the repairs. The account arrived recently,* and the total cost to repair botn chimneys is no less than £25 14s Bdi This charge is made despite the fact that a Price Tribunal is in existence, backed by a Government which it would seem has adopted the slogan, "The people shall not be exploited" The statement sets out that a bricklayer, a labourer, and a, carpenter were employed to do the work, and the collective time- charged for these men is 44 hours at an average rate of 4s 5d per hdur. The rate of 4s 5d fter hour is not objected .to, for the labourer is worthy of his hire. But how three men could fill in 44 hours oh such a small j<Jb is some problem. One other item requires, some looking into. The material for the job is invoiced collectively at £8 9s 9d, and the cost of carting this material is set out thus: 2f hours carting at 10s 6d per hour. It is understood that only about 1000 accounts for earthquake damage have so far been sent out; and very few have been paid. It is quite apparent that when all the accounts are received by the 'quake sufferers, many of them will be quite, unable to pay, whereas, if the charge was anything like in proportion to the work done all would doubtless make an effort to wipe out the debt as quickly as possible.—l am, etc., KELBURN.