Dispute Over Wages on Relief Job

Manawatu Times, Volume LV, Issue 6837, 19 April 1932, Page 5

Dispute Over Wages on Relief Job

MEN REFUSE TO CROSS TEMPORARY BRIDGE. At last week’s mooting of the Palmerston North Uncmploy'ment Oommitto lengthy consideration was given to a complaint lodged as the result of a dispute between the overseer (Mr. Tucker) and four men concerning worked alleged to liavo been done on a drainage job for the Makcrua Board but for which the overseer would not issue a certificate. The committee, having heard one side of the question, passed a resolution to the effect that tho certificate should bo issued unless the overseer was prepared to refuto tho statements made by tho men. Air. Tucker, tho overseer concerned, and two of the men waited on tho committco yesterday morning and the matter was reopened. After the chairman had explained tho stand taken by the committee, Mr. Tucker said that on the morning in question he had been at the job threequarters of an hour before the men arrived and had spent tho time strengthening Ijhc bridge. Five men crossed the bridge but four others had refused to do so. At 9.30 a.m. three of the four men were sitting on the bank. Tho chairman: Could you have seen them had they' been working? ill - . Tucker: No. Tho bridge was only a temporary' affair, I admit, but one of the men stated lie was going to sit down all day' and that ho would havo to be paid for the day. Tho chairman: Is there anything in the statement that the bridge was made safe because tho chairman of tho Makcrua Drainage Board was going to visit the work? Mr. Tucker: No.

Mr. ltamage, the timekeeper, giving an. outline of the affair that morning, said that Mr. Tucker told tho men to cross the bridge but that four had refused to do so and Mr. Tucker had replied to tho effect that unless they did so thoro would be no work for them and that they might as well go home. Mr. Ramago also said that he was on the bank at SMS a.m. and the men were not working, nor were they working 15 minutes later. Tho Mayor: Was it because of the bridge or the willow cutting that the men refused to cross the bridge? Mr. ltamage: I cannot say. Air. llodgens: If the men were burning willows, there would havo been smoke to show that they were at work. Did you sec any smoke? Air. Tucker: There was burning going on all round. One of tho men defied me and had that man been allowed to get away with it, there would have been no end of trouble. Air. Flogdell: Wo did go down the bank some 500 yards to talk the matter over. We decided to carry on with tho burn and did so. Ho denied Mr. Tucker’s assertion that he had defied him to put him off the job. Tho Alay'or: How much water would be in the creek?

Mr. Flogdell: It would bo up to my knees. Tho Alayor: I am under tho impression that you fellows said that it was much deeper than that. Mr. Tucker: Tho bridge was only a temporary affair to save tho men the trouble of taking their boots off. Tho chairman: Do you still hold to your previous stand about the certificate? Air. Tucker: I have no option in the matter. The chairman: Did it occur to you, Mr. Flogdell, that you might have taken your boots off and warded across tho creek? Mr. Flogdell: It would have taken time.

When the deputation had retired the committee wont into the matter again, members expressing surprise that the men did not wade across the crock, also the opinion that if Air. Tucker could wade over, tho water could not havo been as deep as tho complainants had reported. “Tho whole point is this,” said the chairman, “if Air. Tucker will not issue a certificate, ryo cannot go any further in the matter.” Atr. Hodgcns: “There is just one point. Should the men be paid for the time they spent going to and from the job?” Tho other members agreed that the foreman might issue a certificate for this part of tho time and it was agreed that Air. Tucker should he asked to do