THE MILFORD ROAD

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22832, 17 March 1936, Page 5

THE MILFORD ROAD

TWELVE MEN LEAVE WORK DISSATISFIED WITH CONDITIONS Twelve employees of the Public Works Department who stated that they were dissatisfied with the conditions at Milford Sound, returned to Invercargill by the Marama on Sunday. The men were employed in the construction of the road from the Sound to the Homer tunnel and boarded the ship on Saturday evening. The workmen alleged that the engineer at Milford Sound did not treat them fairly. They said he would not allow them to make up time lost because of wet weather, and under this arrangement it was impossible to make more than lOs per day. “ When we left Invercargill,” said one man, “we were told by the Public Works engineer, Invercargill, Mr W. G. Pearce, that if conditions were unfavourable we would be able to work overtime to bring our wages to a decent level. Married men cannot keep two homos going on 10s per day. The food, too, is inadequate. We have had no fresh meat for a considerable time and have had to be content with ‘ bully beef.’ Potatoes have been scarce and at one period there were none available. Men who take ill arc not able to obtain stores on credit, and that is a great hardship.” The men stated that under the present conditions they would not go back. Two employees had to live in a small tent. In this confined space tools and stores had to be kept, and it was impossible to live a normal, ordered life. COMMENT BY ENGINEER. “ The men at Milford are working a six-day week and consequently it is not possible to make up time lost by wet weather,” said Mr Pearce, when the men’s grievances were referred to him last night. “ Because of the extra wet days received on the West Coast contract rates are considerably in excess of those generally paid in Southland. This makes up for the time lost. The matter was fully discussed with the men at Milford in January by the Rev. A. Nordmeycr, member of Parliament for Oamaru, the district Public Works engineer at Dunedin, Mr T. M. Ball, and myself. The man who states that I said the workmen could make up the time lost is speaking incorrectly. “ There has been a shortage of fresh meat at Milford because the Tamatca has been unable to run during January and February. The vessel which went round was not large enough to carry livestock, and it is quite possible that a shortage did occur. Possibly, too, there has been a shortage of potatoes. '“The man arc being housed under standard Public Works conditions. It is believed that this matter will be reviewed by the present Government. The canteen at Milford is operated by the Department, and I am sure no one would be allowed to starve. I am unable to comment further on this matter until an inquiry has been made.”