King Country Campaign

Maoriland Worker, Volume 5, Issue 177, 24 June 1914, Page 2

King Country Campaign

4 -*-■ ByE.GBADI. Life cji the rAilway construction-lines no matter where the work or iow good tie job, is not .each that one would envy. ■ On the. Ongaruo—Stratford line, at 'the Okohujnira end,-it is the worse that' the writer has ever had the misfortune to strike. After iiftc-en year.? of a varied experience of sutih places, one can safely say that this place is the '•limit." Practically the whole of the work, has been let to large contractors, who in turn hare sub-let portions of the job to the chin-whiskered contractor, who usually appears in such places, endeavouring to get a rake-oif, imbued with the Wallingford idea of ."Get rich quick," no matter at whose expense. The only surety these gentlemen iiave to offer the toiler in the event of the job not paying, is his whiskers, and as they don't happen to be a medium, of exchange, one cannot barter .them away for the necessities of life. Only yesterday I ifiet a toiler engaged i" a Gort of point-to-point steeplechase after his ex-employer, to get a settlement for honest toil dtfne, a chance of a rake-off provided' for thi£ chin-whiskered sealer, and a service rendered to the State. This happens on works being constructed for the State, by the State, and under the control of the S.tate. Th'ia is not the enly grievance one can find. The sporting chance oiie takes in getting the meagre wage paid, is not the only chance provided; vi>, the splendid chance of getting killed. One evening last week, a, workman on night shift, narrowly escaped death with an explosion of carbide. , According to the regulations, carbide (like other explosives) should be kept in a dry pkoe, but the Okahu■kura tunnel. Contractors are evidently too busy to read regulation-*, or to be bothered with any trifling matter that, at the most would only result in a few navvies being blown to "kingdom come." They have stowed dynamite, gelignite, carbide; and several other explos.ive.9 in- a little bit .of "a bos behind the engine, a place that by nostretch of imagination could be regarded as dry or-weather proof.. On the evening in question, and in the execution of his duty. the. subject of the- accideat proceeded to this inno-cent-looking can ' (whjch subsequently proved to.be damp.and dangerous), to get some carbide, and on opening" the lid, very nearly missed th.c chance of voting againet Bill Massey nest' election*. .:. .... . ...... „..,.-. Readers will regret to learn that the unfortunate ' victim was Comfada Ma-~ loney, an ex-Waihi rebel. Though badly burnt about the face and arms, he has been able to proceed to his home at IVaihi, and all our readeTs will-wish him a speedy recovery. Even whilst writing, yet another accident is reported. A workman Whilst at toi} has had the misfortune to t fracture his but only jufct been no., partic'ulars'-'of the; accident have yet come to hand. Besides the splendid chances providel for getting beaten for the money_ one ""dbes""eanij 'or "getting blown up, ihe conditions under wiiich one has to work and live are of the worst, and the remuneration on a par. Change houses are unknown, full time ia worked in w«t places, And

Pi? 4d. and 10s. per day broken"'tim.e. i> the ruUng wage. But at last the me>n have awakened to the fact that it is their own fault things are so bad, and it.i.v within their own'power to atiiku a better bargain for tho labour tlu»y sell to the contractor. Writer has hten a constant visitor to the job, and has luieartuod' .quite a uiimLor of staunch rebels driven I'ram tho'waterfront and tlif. mines by the lash of victimisation,.and.a strong brunch of the Kinjj Country Amalgamated Workers' T»nion.h.:.i be&n formed! Tho branch is already, formulating 'defends, and tbn ■ contractors will bo shortly invited to .take a day. off■' and discuss with the men's representativo* the advisability of ..uing them in an agreement. " .- • H.arry -Campbell, of ttie/S.D.P-., recently, paid a'flying visit to the works, and suaceoded iii getting -the men "u----ftttrcstuil, and in .forming-.an S.D.P. bnuijh. ' • •' Bob Sample baa al»o promised to come amongst us, and a series of meetings are beting arranged right through the district. Tho toilers throughout the ■ King Country are coming to sense. ■ Ln drive and tunnel, in cutting* end irrcamps, they arc thinking. In the tosh and ihe miUa thej are talking of the naw unionism. Every day convei-ta are ma&a, every day the truth is borne homo to these men w.ho live the rough hard life of the bush. A ■brighter day is dawning, and ere long this vast tract of country, so exploited by'speculator, contractor and tiraWr combine, will be in the hand* or' tWe who toil and die to produce dividends.' • At present comrades are warned that things are not at their best. Work 13 decidedly Bcar.ce, and they would be well-advi<ed to try somo other part qf God's Own if in seaTch'of the elujHye icb.; :. ••" . '-;.;;;;;- : J' ;