MEN FOR CO-OPERATIVE " WORKS.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7298, 5 June 1895, Page 3

MEN FOR CO-OPERATIVE " WORKS.

(To the Editor ov the Heiiald.)

Sir, — I crave space to inform tho public how the allotment of work for the unemployed on the co-operative principle has 'been carried out here in Tolago Bay. First, the Labor Agent came round to take down, the names of those who were unemployed, informing them at the same time that there would be only ten wanted. He said nothing about residents, or balloting, thus leading each man to think, as his name went down, that he was one of the ten ; and to wait about here, when later on a telegram arrived from the Labor Agent in Gisborne stating that the Engineer would be up at the end of the week. If the men had been told the modus operandi they could have pleased themselves about waiting. In due_ course the Engineer arrived, and about fourteen whose names were down went to see him. They were informed that only ten were wanted, and that married men (of whom there were two) would get the preference, which of. course was right; but when it turns out that one of them has land and a dairy, then J eaj moat emphatically it is not

right. The remainder were told that residents of the place would get the next preference, which may or may not be right ; but it seems peculiar, to say the least of it, that out of four brothers reared in the place two ouly should be treated as residents. And then two others, who have only been in the plnce two or three weeks, were preferred to residents, before men who have been in the place unemployed for months. The other three men required were balloted for, hut the fairness of the selection of the others I leave the public to judge. Tolago Bay, June 3. A Worker,