Public Works Notes

Maoriland Worker, Volume 11, Issue 476, 28 April 1920, Page 6

Public Works Notes

Organiser P. Williams ("Slogger" , ), wire 9 tlie Head Office from W!kmv gamomona. as follows: "Meeting Tatiora derided to linlc up. Over -10 members. Writing." ■The Ifead Office lias received a letter from Mr. Coates. .Minister of Public Works acknowledging receipt of ours furnishing particulars of the mailers 'to be put before him by the deputation on May 10. He states he will Tie glad to meet the deputation and i» discuss iliu grievances contained therein. «• # * * * Mr..W. Parry, M.P.. whose suggestion to organise v national deputation to the Public Works Minister has been acted on by the Head Office, has sent the Head Office a letter in which he expresses pleasure at having the opportnnity to assist Organiser P. Williams when he arrives in Auckland, and that the local Labor Representation Committee will also be glad to lend a hand in getting the Public Works employees to join the Workers' Union. Mr. Parry encloses a copy jof a report, of a meeting he and the Wp other Auckland Labor M.P.'s had 'with Mr. Mclnerney, representing the public Works employees at Huarau, lind urges that the Union-immediately

communicate -vyith the Huarau men,

and that it endeavour to reach every \ Public Works job before the confert 'Nice with the Minister in order to

make the deputation as widely representative us possible. He thanks the Head Office for its invitation to join the deputation and promises to do so if it is at all possible. Ho gives it as his opinion that substantial good will result from frank and general disuisslon with the Minister.

The report of MV. Parry's meeting with Mr. Mclnerney referred to above reads as under: —

On Wednesday, April 14, Mr. Mclnerney met the Uiree City Labor M.P.'s in Mr. Parry's room at the Trades Hall lie' Urielly placed before them the position of the railway construction worker's at Huarau. The substance of Mr. Parry's remarks were that the Minister of Public Works had agreed to increased rates of pay for the tunnellers, but had declined to accept the responsibility, of applying the increase to outside workers without Consulting Cabinet. Mr. Mclnerney stated thai, the men were in favour of forcing the issue by declaring the tunnel P.LACK. Un funher stated that he was to meet, the- Minister to discuss I lie situation and he asked (ho advice-of the M.P.'s present as to a solution of the difficulty.

The concensus of opinion of all present was thai the matter should be viewed from a national standpoint. Mr..Parry pointed out that a conference of the const. ■T.eiuv.i workers representative of tlii . Dominion had been arranged to nie-a the Minister on May 10, and he rend the correspondence that had passed between the Workers' Union and himself re the matter, il" suggested, and Messrs. Savage and I'.axinun concurred, that, il would be unwise for the Iluarau tunnel worked to take any .α-tion at the prosont. jiiuciiure winch 'might .prejudice uui'uvourai.'ly the conference. ti was a?reed lhat Mi". Mcinorney wait upon tlii- Minister and learn his views of the situation. In Hie evenr of those views being unfavourable, it. was agreed that. I he Labor member* approach Hie Minister with ihe .proposal thai the men relu.ni to work on l»i: - assurance !b:il In , would lie bound by I he derisions come to after meeting the national conference on May ID. and ilia! all increased rates of pay granted to outside workers would l>o roirosperiivo from the dam of the dispute. On Thursday. April !•">. Mr. Mo.lnerney again met. th.- members find in--I'ormr.d them thai the Minister had assured him thai he would lie bound by the decisions come to at this conference, and lie Ihen asked (he M.P.'s' to wire llie Minister (he above suggestions. They declined to il(> this, because, the .Minister's mpsui'muco to him made it unnecessary.* The Labor M.P.'s agreed io send (his report to the .Workers' Union for the beiKiiit or those iuierestwl, and as; an in'licntion ihaf Uto v>oliiie:il body, without pre.-uiiiii: ; 'o dictnte In the Industrial inns, is ;n all times nnxion:; to do nil in its power to protect llie interests oi , all mental and manual workers." The Head Office has addressed n longlliy letter to each member of the National Executive <>f the Workers' Union :-■<■•(l ing i'"rtb. whni it' hns done to eifort llie IVpM of ihe Public Works' employee';, and to make (lie deputation li'om ihein io the .Minister re|.re.--.em:iii\e ..f all ihe r.anr'- , eiiieluyed I'rom one end of Ihe i-otiui' , y t.i Hie vi mi, . i! al-o. refers to iiie ;ii.)p('iniineni of .Mr. P. Williams rts Organiser wiiboul previous consultn.iion wish the Kxenilivc, and ask members for endorsement or otherwise. In reply .Messrs. C. K. Baldwin. Donald Blttir. and A. Mcfjeod wriie ii])proving of the ;n.:iioii taken. Mesiv. .Par and .\[el..eod on-gr.-ifulnie Hie Aclir.i , ; Ser:i , ( , la"y. Air. A. Cii-'!;, on ihe alacrity with which li!> has moV'Ml in i-,.inueci.ion A/itl , . the organisation of these worker--!, ami on the engageuie|ii of Mr. Williams.

Since the above was sent io the printer a Press Associuiioij message from Auckland has been "published in the Wellington papers ii> Hie effect that, being on strike for several weeks the Huarau tunnel worker: , , 'resumed work on April lit. ponding the Conference with the Minister on Ma.y in. The funnel ar present is being driven through ■■rotten" country, and Hie men are asking Hi/- a day instead of 1 :">/-. The message also states that, (rouble is being experienced at: the Of.ira Tunnel, and "it. is presumed lhat the men on various railway works throughout, ihe Dominion are appointing delegates to wnil on Hie Governlnei'!. coiir-i.'i'tiing their grievances."