THE OTHER ASPECT.

Waipa Post, Volume XIX, Issue 1103, 9 June 1921, Page 4

THE OTHER ASPECT.

Replies to the grievances set out in the article were elicited from Mr G. H. Lightfoot, officer in charge of the Government Labour Bureau at Auckland. He said his office always followed the procedure of advising the engineer in charge of Public Works in the district the day l before the men left, so /that they could be met on arrival at their destination. Very frequently men did not leave on the date arranged, and consequently could not expect to find the same arrangements, as those who followed out instructions He* could not say, however, whether or 1 not the men who travelled according to advice conveyed at the office were met at the other end by an official of the Public Works Department. He had received no complaints from any of the men who had taken up relief work through the Bureau. There were camps at all the works for the convenience of the parties and the men were not asked to pitch their own tents. Advance parties established the camps. The following official statement has since been supplied:— \ “The driver got stuck about two miles at the Kihikihi side of Pukoatua, and the men walked' from there to Pukeatua, about one mile and a-half. The storekeeper at Pukeatua engaged the hall, and guaranteed it, and made arrangements for the men to stay there all night. Next morning a conveyance was sent to Pukeatua to take them on to the roadwork, andnj they (15) arrived there at 11 o'clock. ■ cr - All the other men have stated they are well satisfied with the treatment they have received. Tents were erected *and their tucker was already cooked for them, but owing to the fact that the motor lorry got stuck, they did not get ther*.”