STOKERS’ CONDITIONS OF LABOUR

New Zealand Times, Volume XLII, Issue 9716, 19 July 1917, Page 6

STOKERS’ CONDITIONS OF LABOUR

STATEMENT BY PRIAIE AIINISTER In answer to a question by the member for Grey Lynn (Air J. Payne) as to the conditions under which tho stokers in the employ of the Wellington Gas Company nave to carry on their work, the Right Hon. W. F. Massey made the following statement in the House of Representatives yesterday:—“A careful investigation has been made by a responsible departmental officer, who reports that on the whole the conditions under which the stokers and retort hands have to work are as good as at other gasworks in the Dominion. Alanual labour is assisted very largely by mechanical appliances, and the actual working hours are short. Hot and cold baths and separate lockers for food and clothing are provided for the workers, and the wage per man, inclusive of holiday pay, averages about £4 per week. The retort system in use at the Wellington Gasworks is, I am informed, a Geriman patent, but a very-large portion of th© structure was made in and supplied from Great Britain. The German retorts were obtained before the war because of their superiority to others, not because of their cheapness, the cost being nearly three times that of those mads in Britain, -Much cf

tho ironwork in the elevators, conveyers, and contingent machinery can and has been duplicated m \cw Zealand. In addition to Scottish 10torts now waiting to bo put if l!ie company has placed an order with a firm in Invercargill, which has recently commenced the manufacture ot such material, i It . would not be necessary, even if .it were possible, tor workers to go into the heated tuinaces to remedy defects, and in any case these men do not perform repan work, which is done by tho ongmocimg staff or bricklayers. I ant informed that on rare occasions when the ooke-eonvo'yers has broken down (on two occasions during the last RPj months! the coke has been dropped upon the floor of the retort-house, where water was played upon it in order to cool it. The men usually walk over this to close the door, hut this is not necessary if they would take the trouble to rake it clear.” THE PRICE Or OAS.

Replying to a further question by Mr Pavno, the- Prime M.nister said : “I am’assured that the increased price of gas (od per 1000 feet), assuming that tho output of cubic feet for. this year equals or exceeds that for Idle, will total considerably loss than the extra cost of pioducilon. Tit is takes into consideration only the increased cost of the coal, on the average price per ton paid from December hist last to the end of May, apart from other increased charges incidental to tnc manufacture of gas.”