Flaxmill Inspection

Horowhenua Chronicle, 7 August 1913, Page 2

Flaxmill Inspection

DEI* I TA'i'JLLLN TO TilK PKLAllJOlf. Tlic Prime Minister, in his capacity as Minister J.'ur Lab our, was interviewed at Wellington yesterday by a deputation ir<>lll the Manawalii i'la.xmill Employees' l iiion. Tile deputation as|;ed tliat an inspector should l)o appointed for tlie whole of the .North Island, '!]•, if necessary, a sufficient munber to see that the requirements of (lie law were carried out. I he president of the union (Mr Slow) said (hat the constables at Levin and .Foxton hail been appointed inspectors, and contended that the inspection by such ollieials was not suHicieni. In reply, (he I'rime Mini.slei said tliat about iliis time last year complaints-wore made to him concerning the state of affairs in conned ion with tlaxmilling, and he had inven inslrucfions to (lie Labour Depart nient to arrange with the Health Department for an inspection ol the various districts. As a result lie had asked Parliament to pass an Ad last session, and I his had greatly improved Ihe conditions. However, lie admitted 1 here had been delay, because it had been found difliculi to give satisfaction to all the the parties concerned. lie had had a report from the department on the matter, and all lie could do was (o judge between (lie two views placed before him. lie recognised that their chief complaint was that the regulations were not IM'i'lv administered. (Tfear, hear.) Tie did not think there was anything wrong with the

regulations. "When the regulations were gazetted the denarlnvrH comnlnined Ilia! they were not able (o cope with the whole of <he inspection, and at 'heir sufi'^'cdinn he agreed to "■et a number of motor cyclop "oslin"'lid ween £P>oo and £700. sn that t]i f > inspoclors micrfif do 'heir work more ex pod (ton sly. The dnpiH'lmen'f 1.mnot been 'die in this mailer. TTe was "'ouig to nrrnmre for n special Mispedor. who would have nothiiiG' else lo do hut inspect the flaxmills of the Manawalu district (hear, hear) and ho would gel a report every month lo see how things were going.

The regulations, he concluded, were going to he administered, and if the persons concerned did not comply with them, they would have lo put up with the cmi sequences. The promise, no srnM, in roply fo a lnoinhor of the deputation, would he given immediate effect to.