PIECE-WORK THREAT.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXIV, Issue 946, 16 December 1933, Page 18

PIECE-WORK THREAT.

Relief Workers at Diamond Harbour.

There were some heated passages between members of a deputation representing the Lyttelton Relief Workers’ Union and a sub-committee of the Lyttelton Borough Council consisting of the Mayor (Mr W. T. Lester) and the Chairman of Works (Councillor R. Fenton) at a meeting held at the Council Chambers last evening. There were also present the Town Clerk (Mr F. Hobbs) and the Borough Engineer, Mr H. H. Barnard. The deputation made a protest against an alleged threat to the relief workers by the engineer that unless they speeded up the work of metalling the main highway at Diamond Harbour, they would be put on piece work after the New Year.

The Mayor said it had been decided to meet the deputation as the result of a letter received from the Lyttelton branch of he Labour Party. The committee appointed by the council was desirous of meeting the men’s representatives without members of the Labour Party to see if the council and the relief-workers could ventilate their differences and work amicably without any pin pricking. He felt that no members of the council wanted to place the men on piece work. The question to be decided was whether the men were satisfied with the amount of work they were doing. The representative of the Unemployment Board contended that

the cost of the work being carried out at Diamond Harbour was excessive and piece work would have to be resorted to if there was not an improvement shown. The committee would like to know the cause of the men’s dissatisfaction.

Speaking of the work being done at Diamond Harbour at present the deputation contended that it was peculiar that the boarl’s representative, when he visited Diamond Harbour in June last, had been well satisfied with the work being carried out by the relief workers, but this was not so at the present time. The speakers contended that faster work was being undertaken at present than when the work was inspected in June. In support of this it was contended that from May to September forty-one chains of road was completed, or an average of two chains a -week. During the last three weeks of November, the period complained of by the engineer, nine chains forty feet had been metalled with a smaller number of men.

The Borough Engineer replied that the figures quoted were incorrect. He had the official figures which he produced. He contended that the men had only averaged half a yard per man and the cost had been 21s 9d per cubic yard. “You men might be interested to know that the contract price paid is os,” added the engineer. Several other matters were discussed at some length until the meeting closed an hour and a quarter later without a settlement on any one point.

Councillor Fenton stated that no doubt the men had some grievances but he could assure them that no one on the council wished the men to be placed on piece work.