OTHER WORK SUPPLIED

Hawera Star, Volume L, 19 January 1931, Page 5

OTHER WORK SUPPLIED

SUSPENDED RAILWAY LABOUR MARRIED MEN PROVIDED FOR BIG LAND DEVELOPMENT PLAN'. 'By Telegraph—I J res3 Association.) WELLINGTON, Jan. 18. An announcement that the Government had found immediate employment ror 740 married men from four of the railway construction works closed down, as a result of the recent suspensions was made by .tho acting-Ptime Minister, Mr. Ej. *A. Ransom, to-night. The men ar© to be engaged upon large-, scale land development works in various parts of the country, and will be drawn from the railway camps on. the Gisborne-Waikokopu, Midland, Dargaville branch and Okaihau-Raugiahua lines. “Regarding the decision of the Government to suspend work on certain railway construction works an indication was given at the time of the announcement that every endeavour would be made to find work of a useful developmental character on which tho men could be placed,” Mr. Ransom said. “Naturally, the just concern of the Government was to make provision for married men, and this has now been practically accomplished. “The resident engineers on tho Midland 1 , Gisbome-AVaikokppu, ’O'kaihauRangiahua and Dargaviile railway works which have been suspended have been instructed to place 740 married men on various works throughout the Dominion. A total of 185 men will go to the Arapuni works, andi 200 men will be placed on road-making at Muripara, 35 miles from Rotorua on AVaikaremoana Road in connection with the development of the Galatea, station comprising 22,300 acres, an announcement concerning which will be made on Monday. “The roading of the Mohaka block north of AVairoa which is being out up for close settlement is being started : at once tby the employment of 50. In addition road works are being commenced to- open up Grown, lands in various centre® and these will absorb a number of men.” A tabl© of works on which operations have been suspended, the number of married men on each and the allocation of each man was supplied by Mr. Ransom. This showed! that 365 married men were engaged! on the Gis-borne-AVaikokopu line, all of whom were being found other employment'. . Roadnip- work on the Galatea block would absorb 200, Arapuni repair works 115 and roading of the Mohaka block 50. Ninety married ; men were , employed bn the Midland line and -75, of these would' be placed on the Tarakoke-AYai-nui Road. The remaining 15 were to be employed in “cleaning-up” work-on the railway, and they would-be absorbed on other work when this was finished. Married Tnen working on the Dargaviile. branch line and the OkaikauRangiahua line totalled 311, of whom 150 wer© to be placed elsewhere. A total of 70 would go to Arapuni, 50 to the AYhatoro-Oputeke Road and 1 30 to the Donnelly’s Gross ing-AY aimatenui Road.

Mr. Ransom added that it was expected to complete arrangements this week for the absorption of the remaining 161 married men from - various works. In addition, it -had .been decided' to find work on the South Island Main Trunk railway, and this would mean that other men would be taken on. Instructions were being issued to take up to 150 married men from AYefllmgton and Christchurch.