CO-OPERATIVE LABOURERS' COMPLAINTS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14283, 4 August 1908, Page 6

CO-OPERATIVE LABOURERS' COMPLAINTS.

THE OFFICIAL REPLY. (Per United Pkess Association.) CHRISTCHURCH, August 3. Regarding complaints made by a returned co-operative worker as to the stato of affairs at the Broken River railway works when a large batch of unemployed arrived thorn last week, the oflicer- in'charge of the Labour Department's Bureau at Christchurch told'a reporter to-day that'it was not unlikely that the sudden arrival of a large number of men had taxed the resources somewhat at Broken River, but the largest number of men sent by the bureau on any ono day was 34-, seven out of the 41 provided with tickets having stayed The erection of the tents for the men was quite a -new'tiling. Ordinarily the newly-arrived workers wore given a tent, which they could put up in any sheltered corner they favoured. He had; as far as ho could-re-member, always made it clear to the men applying for work that the tents would be lent to them, the pick lent, and other tofils, like the railway fare, advanced. It had always been-an understood ihing on cooperative works that tho. shovels and other tools wore advanced, to be paid for afterwards. He had been asked by one man what the cost , 0 f living was likely to be and replied, having in view a slight enhancement in prices owing to the extra risks, that it would be but little more than in Chrierchurch. The man suggested 25s or 30s, but he had replied that it would be nearer 10s.