AIRPORT RELIEF WORKERS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 79, Issue 268, 14 November 1935, Page 6

AIRPORT RELIEF WORKERS

Sir, —Ou behalf of the relief workers employed at the airport we desire to cojnbat the statements beinij made by N. R. Bain to the effect that men employed on this work who, are tradesmen, have been offered employment at their trade at trade rates of pay, and that the men are supplied with free meat and are so well treated that they refuse employment when offered. We desire to inform the citizens of Wanganui that these men are not supplied with free meat and that to our knowledge only one man on the Airport was offered a job at his trade, but the rate of pay offered was far below the tradesman’s rate and he refused on these grounds. We regret that a prominent citizen of Wanganui should have made such a statement on hearsay and without making sure of his ground. We very much resent that candidates should endeavour to make political capital out of .the unfortunate plight of the relief workers.—Yours etc., W. J. FLYGER, G. YATES, Chairman and Vice-chairman, Airport Workers’ Committee. Mr. Bain’s reply to the above complaint is as follows: I was reliably informed that the position was as stated. 1 am informed that at all events one man on relief work at the Airport was offered a month or six weeks’ work at his trade of a bricklayer, the rate of pay to be 2s 3d an hour, and that he refused to accept this work. Another instance has come under i(>y notice of a man who was offered work at his trade of a plasterer, the work to be of throe months’ duration and the pay to be £1 0s 3d per day. This man was not employed at the Airport. 1 recognise the unfortunate plight of relief workers only too well, and have no desire to make’ any political capital out of it. I do, however, realise that the objective of the Government ought to be to absorb men now on relief work, in their own trades, since unemployment work is far from satisfactory, and men arc much happier doing work for Which they have been trained.