TROUBLE AT OTIRA

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 8739, 22 May 1914, Page 5

TROUBLE AT OTIRA

‘ MINISTER’S REPLY TO CRITI(CISM. Tho Minister for Public Works (the Hon. W. Fraser) made the following statement yesterday in reply to the Workers’ Union secretary’s version el trouble ait the Otira tunnel:— “In consequence of the dissatisfae tion expressed by the engineers both ns to the progress and cost of the work, it was decided to have the work done on the small contract system. When tho men were informed of this, a week or ten days ago, some of them demurred. After consultation with the engineer, the rates of pay and details of working were modified and agreed to. Then some of the men declined to go to work under the small contract system ; twenty-three agreed, but twentyseven refused. Mr Armstrong then telegraphed to me that tho union protested against the small contract system, urging that the wages sysem was tlie better for the men and the department and the safety of the tunnel. I replied that in consequence of the unsatisfactory progress of the work and the cost, tho small contract system must be instituted. I said that equality of payment without any regard to the quality of service did not commend itself to me as being either in the interests of the Dominion as a whole or of tho workers themselves; and that the safeiy of the tunnel would be as carefully attended .to as in the past. I am informed that on Sunday last the men agreed to go to work under the small contract system, but that on Monday they declined to sign the contract. In tho meantime, 1 am having further inquiries made.”