GOVERNMENT LABOUR PARTY.

Otago Witness, Issue 3509, 14 June 1921, Page 45

GOVERNMENT LABOUR PARTY.

THE SUMNER ROAD QUESTION. WELLINGTON, June 8. Air H. Worrali, secretary of the Canterbury General Labourers’ Union, recently wrote to the Acting Prime Alinister stating that at a meeting of the union the action of the Government in employing workers on the Sumuer-Lyttelton road at rates considerably below that contained in the agreement between them and the New Zealand Workers’ Union —\iz., the dominion public works and construction workers’ agreement, vigorously criticised and condemned. He forwarded the following resolution : —“This union strongly protests against the Government breaking its agreement with the New Zealand Workers’ Union, in that it is not offering to pay its employees on the Stunner roacl the rate of wages agreed upon with that union for men engaged on public and construction works. It is of the opinion that the Government should set an example of straight dealing to the rest of the community, and that it should be loyal to its agreements. It still retains a lively recollection of the horror and amazement that was given expression to by the newspaper editors and well-known politicians, when » much-abused Labour official voiced the expression: ‘To Hell with agreements,’ and wonders whether the Government is going by that expression in this agreement, or does it think it right and correct to ‘tear up its scrap of paper’ when in its opinion circumstances warrant the same.” Air Worrali added that these workers were citizens of the dominion, and as such were entitled to a wage which would o table them to live and function as useful members of society. Sir Francis Bell’s reply was brief and lo the point: “The Government.” he wrote, “is in full accord with the union’s resolution that agreements should be regarded as binding in honour and good faith upon all parties to the contract, and the Government is glad to learn that the union has affirmed that principle. The union has unfortunately been misled into the belief that the Government has departed from the terms of any agreement or undertaking to which it has been, or is, a parly. That is not the case.”