THE RETORT COURTEOUS

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6873, 1 April 1929, Page 6

THE RETORT COURTEOUS

HON. E. A. RANSOM’S REPLY TO MR. COOK. Per Press Association. DANNEVIRKE, March 31. Replying to Mr. A. J. Cook, the secretary of tho New Zealand Workers Union, the Hon. E. A. Ransom (Minister of Public Works), said that he always gave the men on the public works an opportunity to voice complaints and invited the men at all times to meet him and bring grievances before him. Ho made this an open invitation, and arnplo opportunity would be afforded men desirious _of meeting him to leave their work without any disadvantage to themselves. Mr. Ransom did not agree with Mr. Cook’s allegations that 99 per cent of the men on public works wero dissatisfied. , Dealing particularly with Mr. Cook s statement that some of tho best and most experienced construction workers on the Work worth-Wellsford main highway could not mako 10s a day, Mr. Ransom said he expected to be in that •district within tho next few weeks, when he would bo very pleased to inspect the work and meet any of tho men who cared to approach him. If i» could be shown that the average workers were not earning more than 10s a day, ho would be very pleased to go into the reasons why, and see if it could not be remedied. Regarding Mr. Cook’s statement that he could prove his charges, Mr. Ransom sard: “l will willingly afford lnm every opportunity of proving his statements, and invite him to supply me with specific cases bearing out his contentions. I will very carefully investigate every one submitted to me, and give him a reply to each one. Further, I shall be particularly pleased to confer with Mr. Coolt on my return to Wellington and arrange with him the investigation I have suggested. For his information I will be returning to Wellington on Tuesday, and shall bo at mv office on Wednesday morning. ’The Minister further remarked that Mv. Cook had entirely misrepresented tho position regarding the non-employ-ment on public works of men who had refused positions on farms. Mr. Ransom explained that it had applied to men whose previous experience as farm labourers fitted them for farm work.