GOVERNMENT WORKSHOPS.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 669, 20 November 1909, Page 7

GOVERNMENT WORKSHOPS.

: ;x;■•.-.■.;? : ■■< EiipuciNG hands;, :,.;;:/; ■ ■;.'.'..■' ~(By Tcicerapls— Press ' : Assi«latlon.) w , : , ■;•;' ■'■... ' ;'Christchurch, NbTember i 9., : At tlie general;.meeting of^.thd,.Canterbury branch of the Amalgamated Society of Eailway Servants, held.on Wednesday,'.tho following resolution was. carried r-r-V'l'lus, meeting. regrets ■ that .artisans and, others" are.' being .dismissed from' the. Government, workshops, causing a lafga amount of valuable machinery to lie , practically idle,, while at thosamo time work which" employ .vbofe ' .tho said ■machinery; and ; the "employees^irhose : i 6orTiccs havo, been ■ dispensed*with has- ; been' let ;: to' private firms. .The''meeting, considers members'.bf Parliament for. Canterbury; should .urge" , upon.";.~tho . Government' tho 'necessity , of Justing,work in'hand'.Which , 'would piovide, employment for those being discharged. ■ : ,^

The Minister, for Bail ways, '■, to whom ! the aboyo 1 matter,ivas referred, said:—"l.-have not got work-for .the-men.: Tho tender of \Price had been accepted. Thoy had turned out , first-class work in'tne'past, aridthe, tender could not,bo ■■cancelled;' The. principal part o£ reduction .has been■'.'made in;the' points and crossings shop, which is '"most: up-to-date; and can turn:,put work very much faster than ■' tho requirements;-!■-Tho 'result-is that we havo sufficient points and crossings in hand available for "tillVthe V oris that can be, seen ahead.fbt some time to come. There isno room for; the blnoksmiths of labourers who. ;have' been enshop in other branches;';' I. regret ■.tho, necessity, for it as much as.: anyone, :Tiut 'where .there, isviiowork.to'.bo. done.'.which is accessary, '■ I have no other. ; course than, to. re,'duco the. hands; As soon as over I: can possibly ; firid'room for them I will be' only too ploased ;to ;tnke 'thorn on 'again." '..;". ; .;";: ■ '■■: