PUBLIC WORKS

Grey River Argus, 18 October 1935, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS

Bad Camp Conditions OTAGO AND HAAST ROADS. (Per Press Association}, WELLINGTON, October 17. In the House, following criticism of camp conditions on Otago Puolie Works Mr Bodkin (Central Otago) said that the men engaged on Public Works to-day were as great a credit to the Department as they hud ever been. He had. investigated some of the conditions of the men, and was informed that inexperience caused the men to earn lower wages than tho standard rates. The engineer- informhim that adjustments had been made, die ragreed that in some cases, such as the Lindis Pass, the men -were entitled to an increase in pay. He thought that if the men in Hollyford Valley were expected to live in tents without floors, it was not right as it was a wet locality and plenty of timber was available Mr. Barnard severely criticised the No 5 Scheme. He said he knew of nothing that had broken the hearts of men and women mor e than the continuance of that part-time scheme H e suggested that men should be employed on the forty-hour week basis. Mr Parry slaid he was of opinion that the encroachments that were tak ing place on the Public Works Department, should not bo allowed. If the Department wins to be so extended then a Minister with the necessary knowledge and vigourshould be placed in charge of it. Mr Lhngstone criticised tho policy of sending men into the baekblocks in such places as Hollyford Valley and Lindis Pass to make Mr Jones criticised the differential treatment accorded married and single men in camps doing the same class of w-ork. Many single men had dependents or lwer e looking forward t’o establishing their own homes. Mr Jones made a plea for the completion of the H.-ui.st Pass- road. He said that such road Would make a Valuable iconnjection between Otago and South Westland and would open up much valuable land. It would be an excellent tourist route and was even mor e important than the Milford Sound road. He also urged that when this road was* completed, the Government would control the service that used it. Mr Bitchener. The Government has no intention of doing ,tTiat. Mr Jones said he was sorry to hear the' Minister’s statement. us he 1 (thought the servie e should not go into private hands. The Minister of Public Works, Mr Bitchener said he twos thankful for some of the things members of the Opposition) had brought under his notice. H e did not know som e of the scandals that those members said existed. He ventured to say that some men were living in huts, and under conditions ,to-day, that were, better than ever they had been in Public Works camps He did not think the rates of pay on the average were as small as (some members said He would -be pleased to see all the men in clamps earning 12s a day. Ho quoted the rates showing that on Te Anau-Milford Sound road, during Aug ust. married men earned from 12s 4d to 15s 8d a day Single men on the same job earned from 7s to 13s 3d and in the ease of low earnings, the engineers brought them up to stand urd rates, lie also quoted rates of earnings on the Lindis Pass and Lewis Pass jobs on the 10s fid a day basis. The average warnings at Lindis in September were: Married men 13s 4d; singlie men 10s 8d At Lewis Pass earnings for married men averaged Ils 9d and single men 9s 3d He admitted that ther P . were some low gainings one for a married parrty being 7s Id and he would ask the engineer to make it up and endeavour to see men earned a reasonably decent rate, and up to standard rate if possible. Mr Bitchener said he would endeavour to have the conditions on the Milford Bond bet tered but said som e . men preferred not to have boarded floors in tents as it tended to make them draughty. On the electric, supply account MrClyde Carr asked the Minister to make a statement regarding rumours that sluice, gates wer c not working satisfactorily. Mr Bitchener said there was no difficulty- there so far as he knew.