MINISTER AMAZED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXX, 19 June 1936, Page 4

MINISTER AMAZED

RESOLUTION BY MOTUEKA BRANCH N.Z. WORKERS’ UNION ! STRONGEST EXCEPTION TAKEN POWER TO CANCEL NEW AGREEMENT The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple) has forwarded to us for publication a copy of the following letter he has sent to Mr A. Cook, secretary. New Zealand Workers Union, Trades Hall, Vivian street, Wellington. The letter is as follows: “Dear Mr Cook.—l have read with amazement the series of resolutions handed to me by you from the secretary of the Mntueka branch of your organisation. Some of the resolutions are not worth notice and therefore I do not propose to comment upon them. “Resolution No. 4 reads as follows:

That this section expresses a complete lack of confidence in the general secretary regarding his action in signing such a document as Mr Semple’s so-called “agreement,” in view of the fact that the agreement is of no advantage to the workers who were responsible for Mr Semple’s elevation to Ministerial rank. “I do not intend to let such a resolution go unchallenged,” said the Minister, “in view of the fact that the agreement, without doubt, is the best Public Works agreement in the British Empire, if not in the world. The minimum wage has been lifted from 9s to 16s for single men, and. from 12s to 16s for married men, with a 10 per cent, reduction in hours. This is the highest minimum wage ever paid on public works in New Zealand or Aus-

tralia. It is the first time any Minister in any British Parliament has introduced on public works a 40-hour week, which has been responsible for the setting of a level for all other employees throughout the country. “The agreement also makes provision that Maori workers should be paid an equal wage for services ren-' dered to that of'-the pakeha. It Makes provision also for those who are employed on public works for two years to receive at Christmas-time, 14 days’, holiday on full pay. and those who have been employed for twelve months seven days’ holiday on full pay. This is a new departure; such concessions have never been given before. There are many other concessions such as libraries on public works, better accommodation, better attention and more liberal treatment in cases of accidents, and a sincere endeavour is to be made to improve the social life of the people in the camps.

“ENTHUSIASTICAND WHOLEHEARTED SUPPORT” “The agreement has met with enthusiastic and whole-hearted support all over the Dominion,” continued Mr Semple. “I also received from one end of Australia to other letters congratulating me and the Government on the treatment we have meted out to the men on public works. “Needless to say, I was astonished to read such an uncharitable, unreasonable and callous resolution. I cannot bring myself to believe that the rank and file of the men working on the job know anything about this, although they are certainly responsible for allowing it to go out in their name.

“However, as you . are aware, the fiscal clause in the agreement gives me the right to cancel all or part of this agreement as it applies to any locality or to the whole of the Domin- ' ion, and although the terms of the agreement have not been violated by the Motueka branch, the branch certainly declares th itat is of no valu<" whatever to the workmen. In view of this fact, I am going to call upon the men responsible for the writing of this resolution to show why the agreement should not be cancelled so far as they are concerned. ■ I do not wish to force an agreement upon anybody, particularly when it is repugnant to them or detrimental to their interests. The agreement, as you know, was drafted after long deliberation and mature thought. When I took control of this Department, thr Public Works workmen throughout New Zealand were working unde? conditions that were degrading; 1 have endeavoured to try and improve the conditions, and it is my intention to continue to do so. Every reasonable thinking person will realise that one cannot do everything in a few months, particularly when it comes to reorganising a national institution. such as the Public Works Department. “If the Motueka men therefore want to go back on to the old scale, they can do so. There are other resolutions that are offensive and untruthful, and I cannot imagine the state of mind of the individual responsible for drafting it. “I will give the branch 14 days to show reasons why its members should remain parties to the agreement which they have condemned and attempted to ridicule, or whether they will go back on to the old rates operating before the agreement came into existence.” “CAN GO BACK ON TO OLD SCALE IF THEY WANT TO” “I am prepared to do all that one man can do to help the bona fide workers in my Department to earr the maximum that they are physically able to do, but I am not going tr tolerate unjustifiable abuse by ir responsible individuals who seem 1' be determined to embarrass and o!

struct the Government in its efforts o play the game by the honest men, women and children of this country. In connection with the grievances that you discussed with me, I im mediately sent Mr Baker, the Public Works engineer, on to the spot and had this matter rectified. This was done in the quickest possible time, which demonstrates beyond all doubt that where there is a genuine grievance, we waste no time in adjusting ,] L am P° stin S a copy this letter to the Motueka local paoer and to the ‘Nelson Evening Mail,’ as I be'ieve that our transactions should be "’Pen and above board, and the public -hould be taken into our confidence.”