IN FIGHTING MOOD.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 13287, 19 June 1936, Page 5

IN FIGHTING MOOD.

SECOND Eul i lON

SEMPLE CASTIGATES MALCONTENTS •U N CHAR IT A BLE. UNR EA 'UNABLE CALLOUS.' Electric Telegraph Dress Association WELUNGII IN Lh \ g - A vigorous reply was made to-day by the Minister ot Public Works (H on. K. Semple) to a series of resol utioixs cairied by the* Mutueka branch, ol the Ne*w Zealand Workers* l'mou in condemnation gem-rally of the* new public works agreement. One of the* resolutions expressed complete lack of confidence in tho general secretary oi the union IMr A. Cook) regarding his action in signing “such a document as Mx Semple’s so-called agreement in \ lew of the fact that the agreement is of no advantage to the workers who were responsible for Mi* Semple's elevation to Ministerial rank.” “1 do not intend to allow such a resolution to go unchallenged,” said tho Minister, "in view ol the i act that the agreement without doubt is the best public works agreement in the British Empire, ii not in the world. The minimum wage has been lifted from 9s to 16s for single men and from 12s to 16s lor married men with a 10 per cent. reduction in hours. This is the highest minimum wage ever paid on public works in New Zealand or Australia. It is the first time any Minister in any British Parliament has introduced in public works a 40-hour week which has been responsible for setting a level lor all other employees, throughout the country. "The agreement also pro\ides for Maori workers being paid a wage equal to the pakelia's wage. It also provides for those employed in public works for two years to receive at Christmas time 14 days’ holiday on full pay and seven days on. lull pay for those who have been employed for 12 months. This is a new departure. Such concessions have never been given before. In addition there are many other concessions such as libraries in public works camps, better accommodation, better attention and more liberal treatment in cases of accident, while a sincere endeavour is to be made to improve the social life in camps. “The agreement has met with enthusiastic and wholehearted support all over tin Dominica .“ CBrtlH—i Mr Semple. “I have also received from one end of Australia to the other letters e-ongra tula ting me aud the Government on the treatment we have meted out to the men on public works. Needless o say I was astonished to read such an uncharitable, unreasonable and callous resolution. L cannot bring myself to believe the lank and tie of the men working on tbe job know anything about this although they are cert a inly responsible for allowing it to go o it in their i amt*. "However, xlie final clause in the agreement givts me the right to cancel all or part of it as it applies to any locality or to the whole ol the Dominion, aud although the terms of the* agreement have iu;t been violated by the Motueku branch, tho branch certainly’ declares that it is of no value whatever to the* workmen. In view of this fact 1 am going to call on the* men res|*onsible feu* the writing of this resolution to show, why* the agreemieiit should not I*o cancelled so lar as they are concerned. I do not wish to* force* the* agree-iiie-ut on anybody, particularly when it is repugnant to them or detrimental to their interests. “I have endeavoured to try and improve the conditions on publie works and it is my intention to continue* to do so. Every reasonable thinking person will realise that one cannot do everything in a fc»\r mouths, particularly when it conics to reorganising a national institution, such as the* Public Works Department. If the Motueka men therefore want to go back t*) the* old scale they can cio so.

4 ’There are othe*r resolutions that are offensive* and untruthful and I cannot imagine the state of mind of The* individual responsible* for drafting it. I will give the* branch 14 days to show reasons why its numbers should remain parties to the agie*e*nieiit which they have condemned and attempted tc ridicule or w hether they will go back on to the* old rates o|x*rating before the- agreement came into existence. 1 am p»e*parc*d to do Ml that one man can do to help tin* bona fide wcukers in my de*part.iin*nt to earn tile maximum they are physically able to do. but 1 am not going tc* tolerate unjustifiable abuse by irresponsible individuals, who seem io Ik* determined to e'inbarrass and obstruct the* Government in its efforts to play tin* game by tlie* hone*st men, woiik*ii anti children of this country.'*