WOE BETIDE THE LAST

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 926, 20 September 1910, Page 4

WOE BETIDE THE LAST

: A CRY' FROM. NBWMABIET ' :/ ' • ; : ;;. ■■.;;,/.; v '' v v v y\- ; ': (By : Telegraph.—Speolardorrespoiiaeirt.) :; ■:'.' : , *■'■.■;,■' ,-c Auckland,- >; ''; A'correspondent'of the 1 "Herald' ■•quotes - , the recent 'statemeiit of; the' Minister' for .'; Railways' that' "a fair : - day's, wbrk'f or -a. .v.; fair day's pay" is all that, is asked: by.. . the Railways-Department.". The: corres- ••*.■■ pondent goes -on to say: : "How" does' : the ': : above statement fit'in with' the condition,.' .. nowso prevalent in the Newmarket, work-.; ' shops?,; In" the boiler-shop v some 20',0r.,:": moreiron wagons are under; construction. "".: These wagons; contain some^'thousands of ,-.'.- rivets_ which' are knocked down bv.hand.y-: Just imagine an official .timing the; menV'. with the watch, then, givingi instructions for the men,to.tno'ck v down;4oo"rivets per' / day. I : Ifs vhar'dly.ilnecessary for me to /., say: ; in 'what/state: of nervous .condition,;.. /the. holder-up. mnst- .be.-; When ; his ' '.->' 'work ;is done, v Thev'machinists working' ■'.'■■ , the high-speed .drilling;machines■ were' in- ;'■■.■' structed to drill'-1000, holes' per, day. .-ThiY is impossible for .; general work. The' \ wagon, shop:has also its: bad. sides.■". Men/are pitted'pair."against pair; so much;so, V; that a 'man is afraid to'leave his..work ••■;' fbriafew: minutes -for 'fear V.of falling be-- ;~. .hind-the. leading-men^'forithe'men. who... ■';; are last;are reminded,of the fact in very'':> plain"".-language;;'Sl;'have;,been employed. . in many large shops-in England'; and V America, but never witnessed the:;samen state : of affairs under such,.;' unsatisfactory conditions ''as 'at;.' New-/. ;: • market." ;■= ' • :;.;:x';.'