GO-SLOW ENDS

Grey River Argus, 20 March 1940, Page 9

GO-SLOW ENDS

ON RELIEF WORK JOB 57 Men Sacked HON. R. SEMPLE’S ACTION. [Per Press Association.] CHRISTCHURCH, March 19. 1 The men on the No. 13 scheme re- ' lief job at the new Burwood golf ' course (where the Minister of Public Works yesterday did in 10 minutes j work said to have taken two men two ' days to do) were to-day dismissed. I Descending on the relief job at the ■ golf course, this morning, the Minisi Lor Mr Semple closed it down on the j spot, and sent 57 men employed there I to their homes.

Addressing the men, the Minister referred in scathing terms to the amount of work that was being done by the men concerned. Mr Semple was acting for the Minister of Labour (Mr Webb). Mr Semple said that he had been in touch with Mr Webb by telephone, and Mr Webb had approved his action in dismissing the men, assuring him of his view that the time had . come for a "show-down.” Mr Semple, added: Mr Webb requested me to have a look at this job, and I have inspected it, and looked up the records. I now want to tell you this job will stop to-night. This country cannot carry the load it is carrying with the returns it is getting for the money spent. If men do not give adequate return they are imposters cn the public purse, and that is not going to continue. We give the highest relief pay and sustenance in the world, and that is not more than we ought to, if we get a fair go. We expect a fair spin when we take the lead and have we got it? We have not. We have not got it on this job, and I suppose the same will be proved when investigation is made of other jobs.” , Mr Semple said the cost per yard on the job was shocking, and it was not hard work. He understood that stop-work meetings had been held and people had been threatened. Those responsible for that sort of thing would have any amount of time to hold job control meetings. Leaflets and poisonous matter had been distributed round this work.

employing authority BLAMED. CHRISTCHURCH, March 19. The spokesmen for the dismissed men at Burwood golf course, said that the Minister had been misled by the employing authority, and added that they' would welcome a public inquiry. Fifty per cent, of the men had been employed, they said on maintenance work, and on occasions all of them. The charges regarding seditious propaganda were complete-. 1 ly contrary to fact. The fourteen of ! the men had enlisted for military service. The committee alleged that the equipment was disgraceful, and that some gangs were engaged in shifting soil on stretchers made from sacks. NEW BRIGHTON WORKERS. CHRISTCHURCH, March 15. Reference to the dismissal of scheme 13 workers at New Brighton was again made at the meeting of the New Brighton Borough Council last evening. Discussion arose when a letter was received from the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement (New to the Minister for Labour (the Hou. Brighton branch) stating that, as further representations were being made P. C. Webb) on the re-employment of the 64 dismissed men, the branch wished to know if the council intended to further dispense with the services of 40 additional mon at present engaged by the council under scheme 13 at the end or the month. The Mayor (Mr E. L. Smith) said that arrangements had already been made with the Minister for only 30 men to be retained and they were to

,’be semi-fit. Cr. J. S. Ainsworth suggested tnai las the council lacked further advice from the Minister on certain propositions from the council the movement be informed that the council was unable to depart from its original intentions. T Supporting this suggestion, Cr. J. N. Clarke said that four of the men told him that the dismissals were the best thing that had ever happened to them as they had got qu te d.cent jobs since. ... , The council had already committed itself, the Mayor said. It had b a ?n contemplated that an extra 40 men might be used for the construction of a bank on the road over a section ot the river. The city engineer however, had informed the council that he was too busy to draw up the p ans and specifications meanwhile, so that proposal was cut out for the tune be-) W “i would like to say, however,” he added, “that about 30 of the 63 men discharged are now in ocher emp oyment.” Cr. Ainsworth’s suggestion was adopted.