WAGES ON RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 16 June 1930, Page 2

WAGES ON RAILWAY CONSTRUCTION

PARNASSUS WORKERS INCREASE IN EFFICIENCY SHOWN Although during the first few months of the railway construction work at Parnassus the wages earned were decidedly disappointing, Mr F. Langbein, District Engineer for the Public Works Department, Stated hjst week that last month the payments to the men showed a distinct improvement. The chief reason- for the increase in earnings, said Mr Langbein, was that many of those who were put on the job when it was started were inexperienced, and they had now become accustomed to the work. As the job was one on which standard wages, m accordance with the agreement between the Public Works Department and the New Zealand Workers' Union were paid, the men were put on contract rates as soon as they were taken on. Since the job had been started the contract rates had not been altered, but a number of the cuttings had been supplied with trucks instead of drays and barrows for the removal of the material, and this had considerably helped the men in increasing their earnings. Such work was in a different category from relief work where day wages were paid until the men became accustomed to the conditions. At the present time, said Mr Langbein, the men were being employed on formation work on the first six miles from Parnassus, and this section was now practically manned to its full capacity. If the number of men was to be 'increased it would be necessary to open up work on the north side of the- Conway River crossing. Plans for the three miles of the line north of the Conwav River liad been completed and forwarded to Wellington. The route of the railway would have to be duly proclaimed in this area before construction work could be commenced. A temporary loop has been put in at Parnassus as a siding for the Public Works Department during the construction of the line, and a bulk store, a blacksmith's shop, a cement shed and works office have been erected. The erection of huts for the workers is being undertaken and twenty-five huts have been forwarded from Tawa Flat and erected on the job. During the past month a party has been engaged in the work of testing the sites of the Hawkeswood tunnel and the Conway and Leader bridges.