VIGOROUS REPLY

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVI, Issue 170, 19 June 1936, Page 18

VIGOROUS REPLY

. MINISTER OF PUBLIC WORKS. ! TO MOTL'EKA RESOLUTIONS. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, .June IS. - A vigorous reply was made to-day by , the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. , Semple) to a series of resolutions eur- | ried by the Motueka branch of the . JNew Zealand Workers’ Union in con- . deni nation generally of the new public • works agreement. One of the resolit- . tions expressed complete lack of eon- . fidenee in the general secretary of the - union (Mr A. Cook) regarding his action in signing “such a document as Mr Semple’s so-called agreement in view of the fact that the agreement is of no advantage to the workers who were responsible for Mr Semple’s eleva- : tion to Ministerial rank.” | “1 do not intend to allow such a resolution to go unchallenged,” said tile Minister, “in view of the fact that the agreement, without doubt, is the best, public works agreement in the British Empire, if not in the world. , The minimum wage has been lifted Grom 9s to 16s for single men and from 12s to 16s for married men with a 10 per cent reduction in hours. This is the highest minimum wage ever paid on public works in New Zealand or Australia. It is the first time any Minister in any British Parliament lias inj t.rodueecl in public works a 40-hour l week which has been responsible for setting a level for all other employees throughout the country. “The agreement also provides for Maori workers being paid a wage equal to the pakeha’s wage. It also provides for those employed in public works

for two years to receive at Christmas time 14 days’ holiday on full pay and ; seven days on full pay for those who have been employed for 12 months. This is a new departure. Such concessions have never been given before. In addition, there are many other concessions such as libraries in public works camps, better accommodation, better attention and more liberal treatment in cases of accident, while a sincere endeavour is to be made to im- | prove the social life in camps. I “The agreement has met with enthusiastic and wholehearted support all j over the Dominion,” continued Mr Semple. “I have also received from | ono end of Australia to the other letters congratulating mo and the Gov- ! eminent on the treatment wo have | meted out to the men on public works, j Needless to say J was astonished to j read such an uncharitable, unreasonlable and callous resolution. I cannot! bring myself to believe the rank and j file of the men working on the job : know anything about this, although : thev are certainly responsible for allowing it to go out in their name. “However, the final clause in the agreement gives me the right to cancel all or part of it as it applies to any I locality or to the whole of the Dominion, and, although fclio terms of the I agreement have not been violated by the Motueka branch, the branch cer- ; tainly declares that it is of no value | whatever to the workmen. In view of 'this fact I am going to call on the I men responsible for the writing of I ■ j this resolution to show why the agree-!! ment should not he cancelled so far ; las they are concerned. I do not wish |to force the agreement on anybody, particularly when it is repugnant to them or detrimental to their interests. “I have endeavoured to try and improve the conditions on public works, .

and it is my intention to continue to do so. Every reasonable thinking person will realise that one cannot do everything in a few months, particularly when it comes to reorganising a national institution such as the Public Works Department. If the Motueka men therefore want to go back to the old scale they can do so. “There are other resolutions that are offensive and untruthful, and I cannot imagine the state of mind _ of the.individual responsible for drafting them. I will give the branch 14 days to show reason why its members should remain parties to the agreement which they have condemned and attempted to ridicule or whether they will go back on to the old rate operating before the agreenient came into existence. 1 am prepared to do all that one man can do to help the bona fide workers in my department to earn the maximum they are physically able to do, but I am not going to tolerate unjustifiable abuse by irresponsible individuals who seem to be determined to embarrass and obstruct the Government ill its efforts to play the game by the honest men, women and children of this country.”