PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT PAYMENTS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23204, 31 May 1937, Page 7

PUBLIC WORKS DEPARTMENT PAYMENTS

TO THE EDITOn Sir,—lt seems to me there is something radically wrong with the system the Public Works Department has of paying its men on at least some of the jobs. At the end of January a man going out on another Public Works job signed an order for a certain sum to be paid to a friend who was caring for his motherless baby. As he was slightly in arrears with maintenance, he made it cut for a sum in excess of the usual payments so that a bit of leeway would be made up. By that order she should have received 10s per week, but up to date she has received exactly one payment of £3. Apparently the Public Works Department measures up when it suits itself and pays out at the last possible moment. I thought this Labour Government was supposed to be the labourers' friend. It certainly is not the labourer's wife's friend if he is unfortunate enough to have one, and it is certainly not his child's friend. Supposing a man has a wife and four children to leave behind him when he goes out on a job, who is supposed to keep her from Christmas to practically the middle of the year on one pay? Apparently m any case six weeks' pay is always kept back to be given to a man when he is discharged from a job in order to prevent him from " raising Cain " when there is not another to which he can go. But what of his wife and family? Would the Dunedin City Council give her five months' credit for light or gas? Where is the tradesman who can afford to give credit to this extent? And must the poor, unfortunates who are supposed to draw that pay go begging credit all the time or asking charity? If not, how are they supposed to exist. As there must be a ereat many who depend on Public Works pay. can nothing be done for them? It appears to me to be a glaring evil.—l am, etc., Help the Weak. Port Chalmers, May 27.