THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXIX, Issue 26, 22 May 1914, Page 3

THE OTIRA TUNNEL.

SMALL CONTRACT SYSTEM. [Pkr Press Association.! 'Wellington, May 21. The Minister for Public Works in. fmined a l Post” reporter to-day regarding the Otira tunnel trouble that owing toi the dissatisfaction expressed by the engineers, both as to orogross and cost, it was decided to have the work done on the small contract t-vs-tem, When the men were informed of this a week or ten days ago some demurred, but after consultation with the engineers the rates of pay ana details of working were modified and agreed to. Then some of the men declined to work under the small contract system—23 agreed but 27 refused. Mr Armstrong then wired to the Minister urging that the wages system -was better for the men and the Department and for the safety of t' e tunneli The Minister replied that the contract System must he institut 'd, that equality of payment without any regard to quality of service bad not commended itself to him as being either in the interest of the DonTnion as a whole or of the workers themselves, and that the safety of the tunnel would he as carefully-"ttended to as in the past. Tim Minister says ! that he is informed that on Sunday last- the men agreed to go to work funder the small contract system, but on Monday declined to sign the contract. In the meantime ho is having . further inquiries made.