GATLINS RAILWAY LEAGUE

Evening Star, Issue 14413, 8 July 1910, Page 2

GATLINS RAILWAY LEAGUE

THE MEN EMPLOYED AND THEIR

WAGES,

A monthly meeting of the Executive of the Catlins-Tahakopa Railway League, held yesterday afternoon, was attended by Messrs R. Chisholm (chairman), W. 1'• Edmond, D. M. Fea, G. Brown, M. Cohen, arid J. B. Waters (secretary). Mr H. F. Moss wrote tendering his resignation as a member of the League. It was decided to ask him to reconsider his decision. The Secretary reported with regard to Show Week tbit the president and himself had had several conferences as to having a Gatlins exhibit, and after corresponding with the country districts they came to the conclusion that it would be unwise to have one this year. . It was explained by the Secretary that ho had had some correspondence with the Minister in charge of the Tourist Department with regard to removing snags from the M'Lonnan River, and the Minister had replied that he would look into the matter of the £SO vole for the purpose.—lt was decided to write the Minister expressing the hope that, the money would be placed on the Estimates this year. The Secretary also mentioned that he had received a letter from the Public Works Department, Wellington, a? to bushfolling along the line. In regard to the expenditure on the line, ho had written asking for the amount spent during the year up to March 31 last, and hail received a reply that the total expenditure since the inception of the line, he supposed, was £423,819. Ho had written again, and had been informed that the information as to the expenditure on the works at each end of the line would bo laid before Parliament shortly, and would then be available for publication. Mr J. Christie, writing from Table Hill ns to the progress of the line, reported that the.ro were about 280 men. on the works, and considering that small number the progress had been very good. Mr Christie also wrote that a telegram from the Minister of Public Works must have been fairly _ ancient, as it was a considerable time since ho remembered there being 348 men on the works. Mr Christie further seat a list of the daily pay received by four bush gangs last pay day. 'The average rates per day per man were 3s Bd, 5s 7d, 7e Id, and 7s lOd. He added: “A number of men are leaving, and I ccrtainlv don’t wonder at it.”

The Chairman agreed that it was a veryconsiderable time since 340 men were employed on the works. Mr Cohen said there had never been anything like that number on the works this year. He could not understand how a Minister could make that statement, when it was not in accordance with facts. Their complaint was that at the season of the year when the men could work the Government would not strengthen the gangs. He thought that their members should keep a watchful eye on the expenditure of the vote. The Chairman suggested that the matter of employing more men be loft in the hands of the secretary and himself , and if on' further report it was found the number employed was not as stated that they communicate with the Minister and draw his attention to the fact. '[’his was agreed to.

The Chairman said that the report as to the rates of pay disclosed a remarkable condition of things. With a Government that pretended to have such a leaning towards the workers, and framed regulations tvs a sort of guarantee that men would be able to earn a fair living wage, it seemed incongruous that men should have to work at such rates. The Government had a wide experience, and should know what was a fair rate for the men’s work. If the men were not bettor paid there was no wonder the Government could not get them to go on the works. Mr Fea said he knew something about the class of men employed on the works, and if they were not making more money than the sums stated then there was somethin"; riidically wrong. They were real good men. Mr Cohen said that no one could say that 5s a day was a living wage for bushfelling. It was decided to write to the Minister drawing attention to the matter, and the difficulty of getting men to do that class of work in view of the wages paid. It was decided that the annual meeting be held at throe o’clock on the next ordinary day of meeting. It was reported that there was about £4O in hand.