CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS’ WAGES

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXVI, Issue 13279, 19 January 1911, Page 3

CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS’ WAGES

AN OFFICIAL INVESTIGATION. COMPLAINTS FROM ‘MIDLAND RAILWAY WORKERS. v ! '• • , ‘ (Per United Press- Association). .; CTTiUSTGiIUP.CH, January 18. A Departmental inquiry held on Tuesday byr-JY. S. Short,, assistant Under-Sec-retary of. the. Public Works Department, into complaints of co-operative workers on. the Midland Railway, was open to reporters, and lasted three hours. Mr Short also spent a. considerable portion of the day in going over , the works and inspecting the tents and work in respect to which complaints of inaccurate measurement had been made. Complaint was made at the inquiry by..several men that the wages, 8s per day, were insufficient fop married.men, and ndt . in all,cases'' sufficient for single, men. One- complainant stated ho consipered 10s iper. .day., little enough for. married men with-a. family at A place where living was so.;dear. Potatoes were. 71b a shilling.. (A voice: “Dive pounds"). Kerosene fis per tin, or 12g a,case; 'bread 7d the 41b loaf, and meat from 5d to 7d. Mr. Short commented that meat was-no dearer than in town. The complainant .suggested tha. the Department should. supply kerosene at cost price. Ho admitted 8s per day was tno ruling price throughout Canterhui y on Government work. Mr Short—' Why should you he paid more for? . , Complainant—Wo are practxcany in the Siberia of Canterbury hero. We lose a lot of time owing do wet weather. -■ ,/ Mr Short said that after careful serininy of the pay sheets from May 2 last to December 12, 'he found there were from 26 to 28 days lost, which he considered not very great when the climate wag taken into account, and ho did not think much more than would be. lost in any other part of the. Dominion. ' . Mr Vickerman, resident engineer, replying to Mr Short, said he did not think a man on the Midland was at any greater disadvantage than those.in other parts, oi the country, where 8s per day was paid. When one of the men present suggested that 9s per' day should be paid all. round, Mr Short said he, found the average rate of wages paid on- the Midland ranged from a little over >7s to something over 8s 6d, pxclnsie of payment, for teams. Later on Mr Short lieinarked that the question of the, rate of was one that ho did not-havc really anything to do with. Ho would make his report-to; the Minister, and-it was for the Minister'to decide- whether he wouk. make any alteration in.ithe pate of pay. The. main question- and the, real trouble was the rate of pay, and, that was a master entirely in. the hands of the Government. . Several complaints of inaccurate measurements were made, and these Mr. Short said would he investigated, and, if , possible, adjusted. A complaint regarding the reduction of the rates at which contracts wore taken would also ho investigated and adjusted where possible. One man complained that ho had. been taken off co-operative works, at which he earned 9s 6d, and put on, day labour. He was given to understand he could resume ■ cooperatisro work. As to the complaint toat the Department charged .too much for three-quarters of a cord of firewood, the figures quoted by the assistant engineer qhpwd that the cost to the Department ua-s about 12s 71 d, and it was 'sold; to the men at 12s 6d. Mr Short,said he. would personally visit the. tents'.and inquire into thp allegations that the tent accommodation .was insufficient dor married and single men. Several complaints were made tluit married men had been, chargd' for the conveyance of their household goods from Browen River, to Cass, and these would he further inquired into* and reported to ill?--Minister. Investigations ■ to-day by Mr Short disclosed, the fact that the tents- appear.to he up to the standard specified, in the contract. He will report to. the ■ter as ;to whether the tents are , good . enough for the climate.