“MAY BE TAKEN ON AGAIN VERY SOON.”

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19036, 3 April 1930, Page 7

“MAY BE TAKEN ON AGAIN VERY SOON.”

MEN TURNED OFF FROM RAILWAY WORKSHOPS.

Mr W. H. Bayard, a carpenter at the Addington Workshops, speaking at the unemployment meeting in Victoria Square to-day, commented on the fact that about fifty men, mostly carpenters, painters and fitters, were turned off at the Workshops on Monday last. He said he was one of the fifty, but there was no complaint, and no suspicion of unfairness, as far as he knew. The step was taken on account of the end of the financial year having be.ii reached. It is stated that fresh .schedules for work are expected in a few weeks, and that men turned off will be taken on again. % MINISTER’S STATEMENT. (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, April 3. Forty men, mostly carpenters, have been discharged from the Addington railway shops,’states Mr E. J. Howard in a telegram to the Minister, adding that he is informed that the yard is full of trucks, awaiting repair. Mr Taverner, in reply, telegraphed:— “It should be understood that these men were taken on as part of the relief of unemployment scheme, and the finance which was provided for their employment is now exhausted. It was further understood by the men that the work was purely of a casual nature and that they could not be kept on permanently. The establishment in our. various shops is fully capable of coping with the Department’s requirements.” DUNEDIN COMPLAINT Per Press Association. DUNEDIN, April 3. The Minister of Railways, in answer to a telegram from Mr Munro, M.P., asking that work should be provided at the railway workshops for unemployed points out that from October to March, the Department employed 1276 additional men and spent £IOO,OOO. The Minister further states that plans are in train to start a major afforestation scheme in the south, employing a considerable number during the winter. Mr Munro, in reply, states that Dunedin has not received a fair proportion of the expenditure indicated and all the extra men taken on at the Hillside workshops were dismissed before Christmas.