MEN DISMISSED

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23866, 21 July 1939, Page 10

MEN DISMISSED

HOUSING DEPARTMENT AN ECONOMY MEASURE TRANSFER TO PUBLIC WORKS STRONG DISSATISFACTION (Per United Press Association) AUCKLAND, July 20. Described officially as an economy and reorganisation measure, approximately 350 out of the 500 men employed on clearing, development, and masonry work, together with a few carpenters, are being dismissed by the State Housing Department in Auckland, and are being offered work elsewhere, chiefly with the Public Works Department. Already over 100 have been dismissed, and the services of the remainder will be dispensed with during the next three four weeks. The strong dissatisfaction among the men at the Housing Department’s action had its result in a stopwork meeting in the Trades Hall this morning, when from 8 o’clock until 11 about 300 employees discussed the oosition. One of the chief causes of complaint was that the work offered under the Public Works Department was at a distance from the city, and at a rate lower than that which the men have been receiving. Eventually two delegates were appointed to interview the Prime Minister (Mr M. J. Savage) at Wellington, with a view to having the men retained in the Housing Departmen’s employ. Development Work " The dismissals are being made contingent on the point that no man will be put off without an opportunity of transferring to other work, chiefly concerned with Public Works Department operations,” said Mr R. L. McPhail, head of the Housing Construction Department at Auckland, when commenting upon the question. Some time might elapse before all the proposed transfers were made, but in the meantime the men concerned would be retained by the department. It was also hoped to find work for a limited number of men through the efforts of the local placement officer. Mr McPhail said that practically all the men concerned had been employed on clearing, preparing and fencing house sites. So well had many sites been prepared in the past that the incoming tenants were able to start planting after a minimum of extra effort. Now it was intended to curtail this work and to restrict the breaking in of sections to the bare essentials. Work for both married and single men was being offered under the Public Works Department at Hobsonville, while it was proposed that single men mainly should be engaged on work under the same department at Muriwai. Mr McPhail admitted that the payment under the Public Works Department was on a different basis to that under the Housing Construction Department and was on a lower scale. Effort to Reduce Costs Although Mr McPhail did not make the point, it is understood that the department is tightening its control in an endeavoui to rcdu:.- costs now met from its own funds but which previously came from the Employment Promotion Fund.. Those who attended the stop-work i eeting included a large number who' have already been dismissed. Apart from a comparatively few members of the Stonemasons’ Union, all belonged to the New Zealand Workers’ Union, It was not, however, an official union meeting. From statements made it is apparent that many men will refuse to accept engagement on the üblic Works Department jobs offering. The complaint was made that only £4 a week was being offered, whereas they have been receiving £4 17s 6d a week, including 3s 4d a week transport allowance. If they went to Hobsonville or Muriwai, they would have to provide their own transport and food and after deducting Socul Security tax little would be left on which to live. For the married men who woud have to keep two homes going the position would be extremely difficult.

Government Criticised

It was sta ed that a certain amount of criticism was also levelled at the Governmen on account of the allegedly excessive admin strati costs within the Housing Con•t ruction Department. The delegates appointed to see Mr Svage will proceed to Wellington immediately.