MAIN TRUNK MUDDLE.

NZ Truth, Issue 118, 21 September 1907, Page 4

MA IN TRUNK MUDDLE.

HOW THE MEN ARE PAID. Wretched Doings at Horopito. Something for the Minister to Look Into.

It' looks very much as if volumes will be written concerning the Main Trunk muddle ere that costly undertalcing is completed. Moreover, it looks very much ,as if men and matters on the Main Trunk are m the same chaotic state of yore, and that by the time things are cleared up the present generation will be hoary and aged and creeping to the grave. Complaints to this paper concerning the mess-up on the various sections of this muddle are very frequent, and ."Truth" has always done its best to see that these complaints are brought under the notice of the Minister responsible, with a view of having matters righted. The latest complaint comes from Horopito, which belongs to the Auckland section of this Main Tfcunk muddle. Now a couple of weeks ago a large number of men were discharged. There was fifteen days back (pay due to them, and, of course, they asked for it and expected to receive it. They did not. however, count on the PECULIAR WAYS OF OFFICIALDOM. and when Manson. the boss, was approached he cheerfully informed them that he could not pay them, but that they would have to go to Raurimu for' it. and Raurimu is only 20 miles distant. More than that, , the men had to hang on till the following Wednesday to receive their ordinary pay. The prospect of tramping 20 miles to Raurimu for their back pay, and of trudging back again to Horopito did not appeal to all the men, and some of thean actually came away without their back pay. Another matter that ought to engage the attention of the Minister is the manner m which the overseer sees to it that tlie storekeepers are paid by the men. Judging by the tactics adopted by the bosses one would imagine that the men, or a lot of them, were a band of thieves and' were unwilling to pay their lawful debts. Before the men are paid the overseer actually

HAD THE IMPUDENCE to draw the men up -before them and make them each admit their debts. The men are never presented with bills. These go to the overseer, but wheri there is any paying out done, the grocer and the butcher are on hand, and seem quite chummy with the overseer. Of course, the butcher and the grocer cannot be blamed for trying to get their bit, but, what the devil lias the debts of the men to do with the overseer. It's enough* to prompt the question whether the overseer gets a. cut for commission. Moreover, "Truth", has m its possession from another Auckland section of the Main Trunk . Line, a series of serious complaints against a storekeeper, who, -m his eager desire to get his bit from a worker did not even

DRAW THE LINE AT FORGERYThe authorities happen to know about this little affair, that is if the overseer on this particular section has reported the matter, and it will be interesting to note whether the authorities intend to afford the workers some protection against the greedy grab-all storekeeper. Harking hack, however, to thc Horopito section, the Minister might very well order that the men should be paid on thc. spot', when discharged, and not obligji. them to go tramping all over the country for what is honestly due to them. Not so very long ago one of the men employed at Horopito had to come to Wellington m response to an urgent message regarding his wife's health. This man's liack pay m such circumstances would have; heen a God send to 'him, but he could not., get it. He had to wait over a month for it.

These are only a few of the. many matters ,that have been placed under "Truth's" notice, and we arc glad to think that the publication of previous complaints have been productive of good. Anyhow, m drawing the Minister's attention to the Horopito complaints it is to be hoped that there will be no CAUSE FOR FURTHER COMPLAINT. Why overseers should he so active m seeing that storekeepers arc paid, while the men themselves are kept hanging about for their dues is more than we can understand. There might he a little hit of commission attached to the business. On the other hand there might not be. Whichever way it is, the overseer at Horopito had better draw m his horns, otherwise he •'might be sorry.