PETONE GASWORKERS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10837, 1 March 1921, Page 2

PETONE GASWORKERS

A COUNCIL’S DIFFICULTIES TjfE STOKERS AND COST OF LIVING BONUS. ALLEGED GO-SLOW POLICY. Tlio petition of the Petone gasworkers came up again for consideration before the l’etone Council last n'ght. when a farther communication was received from Mi L. Glover, secretary of the Gas \ others’ Union, in respect to the bonus of its which had been applied for by the tickers. Mr Glover pointed out that tile shortage in the production of gas at the ivories was probably brought about through t.lie men bein’ dissatisfied with the action of the council in not considering tlioir requirements. Councillor Co >k moved that Mr Glover he asked if ho considered the men vvero tarrying out tlie terms of iiio agreement. Mr Glover’s letter, li» considered, simply c\’.hod the mam question. Councillor Bedinglield seconded the nio--1 i in. Councillor Brocklebank, in moving an an endnient, “That a renlv be sent to Mr j Glover that the council was fully aware of the position," said that it would not be 1 iglit to ask the secretary -of the union to express an opinion.' 'The matter iras one which the council should deal with. EXTRA STOKERS. Councillor Hay asked if it was a fact lhat two extra, stokers ha-,1 been engaged in order to increase the production of gas. Air Appleyard (gas manager) said that during the hist four days there had been eight sink cos at the works instead of six. Councillor Hay sai 1 that the stokers had denied that they were going slow, and aliegea they were working in a proper manner. The council had given them several weeks to become proficient. They Lad failed to do so, an 1 the council ought to consider the question of .replacing _thcm by others who would give satisfaction. POSITION MUST BE FACED. Councillor Andovson said lie thought the Mayor would havo given a lead in tiio n utter-. It was no use burking it. The men were receiving .to 12s, which the council thought uas adequate pay for tho work done; at the same time they recognised the work was of an arduous nature The men came for more money, were infused, and then, it was alleged, they commenced a go-slow policy. Thecoiincil should show some backbone. The ratepayers and users of gas were suffering, and the position, had to be faced: The council was elected to look after the interests of the community as a whole and not for any particular clast. The jiosition was becoming on absurd pile. . PAY THE BONUS! The Mayor said he had not altered hie opinion. When the men’s wages were rained tile question of the cost of living wan considered, and now that tho Court of Arbitration had decreed that the cost of living had risen by 3s the men were perfectly’ justified in asking the council tor tho bonus, as they were losing 3s on the purchasing power of their wages The best plan was for the council to pay tho bonus and consider the matter when the new agreement -vas being discussed. Councillor Chuichouse said the council were assisting in '.ho go-slow policy byengaging two extra stokers. Tile addi tional cost to the ratepayers was ,£l2 per week, when tho granting of tho bonus v.'i.uld*oniy have meant an increase of 186 l»er. week. The men, in his opinion, eere entitled to ’he bonus, and those who thought, they wenp not should hare shown more backbone and dismissed them. "IN BANKRUPTCY.”

Councillor Anderson said that when he voted tor the men receiving jga 12s ire did iso through a certain amount of" sentiment, us did the rest of the council, The men wanted more, and it did not stop there. It meant hundreds ot pounds to the borough, and the borough was in . a state of bankruptcy. He was always in favour of the bottom dog and in the case of the stokers the council had given them every consideration, including fourteen days’ holiday on full pray. There was the case when the council had paid a gasworker, who was ill, full wages for 'six months. In order to test if a go-slow pokey was in progress he suggested that the 2i cwt, which the men had agreed to put in the , retor ts per charge, be weighed to them and the men who failed to carry out the condition of the agreement should be dismissed. Councillor Tovey said that he had opposed the granting of «£5 12s to the stokers, but the amount had been granted. The agreement had been faithfully kept for the six months, and the men. were entitled to the 3s bonus. The giving of it to them was a good policy ior the council to adopt. There was considerable diversity of opinion and Councillor Hay moved-: “That the matter be left in the hands of the gas manager with power to dismiss a man who was not doing his duty.” Councillor Churehouse moved, as an amendment, “That the bonus of 3s be paid." On being put, the motion moved by Councillor Hay was carried by six votes to three, and the others were lostWhen the mountain would not come to Aluhonret, Aiahomet had to go to tile mountain. Wellington citizens will soon have an opportunity of doing better than Aiahomet. They cannot all go to see the marvellous Waitomo Oaves—but the caves are coming to them. The stalls for the big carnival, which will be opened in tho Town Hull next Hat in-day, will be in tihe form of grottoes, beautifully- resembling the scenery of Waitomo. Every care is being taken to reproduce that wonderland as closely as the art of man can obtain. There will be abundance of other attractions to enable people to find pleasure m full measure—-pleasure will be a profit for a great national cause, the establishment of a Community Club for territorials and senior cadets. One of the dangers of leaving tho washhouse unattended on working days was revealed to the fire brigade when they: received a call to a house occupied by William E. Fordliam, carrier, 21S, Cuiba street, at 11.28 a.m. yesterday. On arrival, the brigade found that the washhouse had been completely destroyed, but the men prevented the fire from attacking the residential portion. I