THE GO-SLOW STRIKE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume L, Issue 175, 24 October 1917, Page 4

THE GO-SLOW STRIKE

• HON. W. FRASER SPEAKS OiUT.' MEN DECLARE A TUNNEL' '•' , "BLACK." OBJECT TO THEIR, OVERSEER. 3?or some weeks paat there has -been industrial trouble at one of the tunrisls now being driven on the route of the i. North Auckland railway. Apparently -a crisis has now been reached, for Mr M'Combs read a telegram in the House recently from a representative of the men to say that' they were all - leaving the works, and that they had, declared the tunnel "black." Their statement was that they would not work under the overseer, named Burnside, representing the Department, says The Dominion.', ■> TJfe Hon. W. Eraser: "The honourable gentleman informs me that these men,will not work under what they cohsider intolerable conditions; and that they have : the tunnel 'black.' j Let them do so, and take the corise- [ quences. (Hear, hear.) lam quite prepared to take the consequences." He had formerly iold the'House-the cause of the trouble. It had arisen because the men deliberately adopted'A ■go-slow , policy. In an "adjoining tunnel, in .a similar class of work-in similar country, the average work for the month was 56'\ feet: in the present tunnel'• honourable members would hardly believe '}, that it was down to 24 feet. Because of this slow work a new overseer "was. sent up, and when he tried to speed 'tip the work reasonably there was trouble. An engineer was sent up to investigate the merits of this dispute. The engineer reported that it was no use going on with the work at that speed j and, that tho Minister should-do one of, two things : ho should shut up the tunnel, or g6 on with the work on the co-operative plan. The nien had not been giving a fafr day's work for their pay. He thought ttiat the better way would, be to intimate to the men that the same slow rate, of work could not be allowed continue, and that he would have to revert to the cooperative system.,' , , :- .« Mr M'Combs: The men woh't' work under it. . . . They will not wbrk under Burnside. 3Tr Eraser: I may tell the v House very distinctly that I, am riot to have works that.l am carrying'on run by the men. That can be understood once and for all. (Heaiv hear.) ' ~ ' Mr Nosworthy : Five themfout! ' i \ Mr eraser: Oh,; no. I want to give the men fair treatment,,but they ai'e riot going to run the works, and they, are not going to choose my officers. I think the right thing is to go on under the cooperative principle, arid; if the men go on they will get,their, fair wage for the work they do. But if they do not like it no one will compel them'to Work. I happen to know that this little trouble is organised by a few amongst the men.