DOLE CONDITIONS

Grey River Argus, 9 October 1934, Page 5

DOLE CONDITIONS

FOR AERODROME JOB Refused by Hokitika Workers (Our Own Correspondent.) HOKITIKA, October 8. It appears as if the authorities who are anxious t’o have tin* work to be done in improving the local aerodrome carried out under d-( !e rates of pay and under relief conditions with a dose of the conf.met system to speed up the men, have counted without their hosts. At anyrate. seventeen of'the unemployed workers, who were ordered to report at the aerodn me this morning for work, turned the proposition down flat as ?ioon as they learned 'the “ins and outs” of it.

The conditions of w; rk had not been made known until the men arrived at the ’drome. The Public Works Departmenit Engineer, Mr Dauber, then stated the men, who were ('lass B ('that is married men with up to two of a family) would secure eight days work per month, ami married men with three Or m’ore children (Class C) would secure .12 day.< a month. The men walked off the job and reported to the Mayor, Mr G. A. Perry. A conference was called for 9,30 a't the 'l’uwii HaH. and those present included the Mayor. Mr Dauber. Mr F. Ashley (County Engineer) and the unemp’oyed workers. The Engineer stated that the men would be paid nine shillings per day for the time alloi'Jed. namely two days a week and 'three days a week. If the weather were too wet to work, the men wk uld have to make the time up as lost time would not be paid for. I‘t transpired., in fact, that although the men would be receiving just a few shillings per month above dole allowance, tihe work would be on contract, and the men would have to work in parties. At (he end of each allotted job the work would be measured, ami if anything exjtr a were earned, it would be paid, but they were not to be allowed to work any more days than those allotted under the No. 5 Scheme. Many questions were asked, but it appeared thaf the scheme, in brief, was just a glorified dole job. The Engineer the men to meet him again on the job at one o’clock, when the system would be further explained ami parties would be shown the work to be undertaken. When this inspection of the work was made by the unemployed along with the P.W.D. Engineer, the men unanimously refused to undertake the job under the dole conditions. They agreed that the Engineer might let small contracts for eight days’ work monthly at l(ls per day per man, but they said they would not undertake the work under relief conditions and with time allotted on contract as proposed by the Unemployment Board.

The num thereupon left for their homes, the work being at a standstill. This work is to cost a, good deal of money, and is a neces.-ury work, so that it is regrettable when the authorities are attempting to impose dole conditions for it. The men would carry it out just as cheaply and be at the same time more contented if allowed to work five days a week and thus get off tihe unemployed register. They have communicated on the subject with the Member for the District.