COUNTRY WORKERS.
ACCOMMODATION and con- • DITIONS. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. . Wellington, May 30. Various complaints regarding accommodation of country workers were made by a deputation from the New Zealand Workers’ Union to the Minister of Labour (Sir W. H. Herries) yesterday. The speakers also referred to a number of other questions of the Labour Department's administration. The Minister said it was a help to the Department to hear the complaints of the union, so that the Department might know what was really going on. A. great step in advance had been made in passing the Shearers’ Accommodation Act. They would admit that accommodation had been improved, whether by the union or the Labour Department. Public works matters were under the control of Mr. Coates and the Labour Department would fall in with any decision he came to. The railway conferences were now in progress, and if a general bonus on wages were granted it would prqbably apply also to other public employees. As Native Minister he had had no complaints regarding accommodation for Maori shearers. If Maoris through members .expressed a desire for legislation in this respect he was quite willing to cany it into effect. Of course Maori customs were quite different to European. A member of the deputation said that in cases there was more than one family occupying one hut. Partitions were required. Another member said the Hon. Mr. Ngata would only represent the wealthier land-owning Maoris, and he was opposed to the union. The Minister said he must consider the views of the Native members as representing the race. With regard to the other complaints, the Secretary of Labour had heard their statements and would make investigations. ,If there was a laxity in inspection action would be taken. The Labour Bureau question was one of administration. If the system were extended there would no doubt be complaints that the Government was monopolising the labour supply. Members: Why shouldn’t the Government do it?
The Minister said every consideration would fee given to the request.
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Bibliographic details
Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 142, 31 May 1920, Page 5
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336COUNTRY WORKERS. Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume X, Issue 142, 31 May 1920, Page 5
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