EARLY DAYS’ RELIEF PAY

Waikato Times, Volume 107, Issue 17984, 1 April 1930, Page 3

EARLY DAYS’ RELIEF PAY

2/8 FOR SINGLE MEN. “It rather amuses me to hear of the general labourers asking, through their union secretary, for 14/0 a day—the full award rate of pay,” said an old resident of Wellington to a “ Dominion ” reporter. _ “ I can Avell remember the hard limes of 1883 and 1884, AAlien there were men out of Avork all 'Over the country. They were given relief then. The Government paid single men 2s Gd a day and married men 4s 6d on a road-making job in Taranaki—and they Avere glad to gel it. In 1884 a man I knew undertook to cart metal for the Wellington City Council at the contract price of 7s Gd a day for horse, dray and man. Another man put in for Hie same contract at 7s 4d for horse, dray and man, but his tender was found to be out of order. The successful tenderer paid all his accounts and went through Avitli the job. “ In those days the contractor fed and housed his men and gave them 10s a Aveek. Rather different from today, when a man with a motor-truck can earn £5 a day, eh?”