CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15451, 1 November 1910, Page 6

CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS.

Mr H. A. Campbell can hardly expect to finally dispose of the report concerning the co-operative workers at Cass which tho Hon R. M’Kenzie read in the House of Representatives last week by merely denouncing it as “ incorrect and unreliable.” The labour organiser returned from tho West Coast a fortnight ago with a most unsatisfactory account of the condition of the men. They were being underpaid and badly housed and worked on Sundays and given no opportunity to earn a decent living. The ?>linister made light of Mr Campbell’s statements when they woro brought under his notico, but ho promised to have them referred to tho engineer in charge of tho works, and this officer reported that tho averago earnings of tho men woro 8s 2d a day, that they woro provided with good stout tents of a suitable size, that no unnecessary work was dono on Sundays and that tho contracts wore distributed at a reasonable price and as fairly as possible. To this Mr Campbell replies that tho report is “ incorrect and unreliable,” that it is “ cooked,” that the averago earnings cannot be 8s 2d a day “ unless the officials’ salaries and Sunday work are included in tho calculation,” and that ho can prove all this “right up to the hilt.” If this is tho case it is his duty, of courso, to sot about proving it at once. Tho general public are just as anxious as Mr Campbell is that the men should bo fairly treat J, but ut present they havo an official assurance that it is tiio men’s own fault if they are not making a living wage, and they naturally will want some proof from the other side before they dismiss this as unreliable. Mr Campbell thinks that it is “cruel and inhuman” to compel a man and his wifo to live in a 10ft by 12ft tent, but many tenderly nurtured women havo endured greater hardships than this and have been none tho worse for the experience. When camped at a placo liko Cass, whero the prices of stores are high and tho pleasures of life few and far between, a man should ho given a reasonable opportunity to make 50s or 55s a week, but the State can afford neither to pay full rates for inferior labour nor to provide luxurious accommodation where it is not required. It still remains for the labourorganiser to show that his criticism of tho Puhlio Works Department was justified.