ENGINE-DRIVERS' WORK

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1868, 30 September 1913, Page 4

ENGINE-DRIVERS' WORK

Sir, —In respeot to tho various -blatters affecting engine-drivers, mentioned by the deputation of sawmillers which, waited on tho Minister a few days ago, I would be glad if you would insert tho following as' having- some. bearing on tho points raised. First I will deal with the question of engine-drivers being brought under the Timber Workers' Award. This is at present the case in this and tho Auckland district, also in Southland, so that tho sawmillbrs are asking to have tho position retained. Wo, on tho other hand, ask that as the bulk of tho en T gine-drivors arc in the Engine-drivers' Union, they ought to be controlled by their own award. In this- connection I mentioned in tho Arbitration Court that at that time I had over 40 members engaged in tho timber industry, while there was not one driver in the Timber Workers' Union, yet 011 tho request of the employers tho Court brought these men. under the Timber Workers' Award. We claim this is an injustice to us ( and is not in keeping with the administration of the Act. For instance, if this is tlie correct way of looking at tho matter, why was tho Engine-drivers' Union registered in Wailii? Practically the Court has ruled that it would not be possiblo for that union to get an award. Our claim, in a nutshell, is that if a union has a right to registration under the Arbitration Act it should be able to got an award covering its members. '

I now come to the points relating to inspection of machinery brought forward by tho deputation. In tho first place tho workers' deputation did not ask that any more stringent practice should bo brought into vogue in the sawmilling industry than in-any other industry. It was a matter of a law ou tho Statute Book being administered properly. Section 8 of tho Inspection of Machinery Amendment Act, 1908, states < that a man must bo in "effective charge" of tho plant under his control, and must not "absent himself" therefrom, and the deputation of workers merely asked that this section should be given effect to, not only in tho case of sawmillers, but in tho caso of every engine coming under tho scopo of tho Act. The deputation stated that the work of the engine-driver was the least laborious of any in a sawmill, I would say God, help the others, then. Some of tlieso gentlemen seem to think it a fair thing to keep a man running about a five-acre paddock to gather his fuel, and this is 110 joko where a boilor is forced to tho limit and will take about half a cord of wood to fill the fire space, but of course it is no work to keep that going. Then "it would only mean a man being five minutes absent from his engino" to gather his slabs, but if this wero so, there is plenty of timo in fivo minutes for a man to lose a limb or oven his life. As a matter of fact it is often three times that timo a man has to bo absent, and in many cases men aro called upon to travel two and three chains from their engines, load up a truck with wood, return and unload, and how this can bo done in live minutes is best comprehended by tl.io man who sits in tho office and never sees the actual working of a mill.

Thero is another phaso of this question not mentioned by tho deputation, and that is the engine-driver being put on to do other men's work. Recently in Wellington a man was expected to act aj tailer-out to a planing machine and also a circular saw, and tho work becatno so heavy that ho decided it was of lio'uso to iiim. ■ Now, if an accident had happened at such times as tho man was absent from his engine—and this might havo happened to the man himself—l would like to know how it would havo been possible for him to stop the engine. In this caso there was 110 means of stopping the engine from tho bench, and so far as my experience goes I havo never seen a mill equipped in sucli a way as this could be done. Perhaps some one of tho deputation .will explain this matter. Trusting you will give tho abovo publicity in reply,—l am, etc., J. READ, Secretary Wellington Engine-Drivers' Union.

THE TOV/N BELT. Sir, —A strong movement in tlio direction of improving tlio Town licit by tree-planting and forming of paths has boeu mads during tlio past twelve

months. The people have shown that tliey aro very keenly interested in this. The carnival was a great success, and the funds raised are to bo expended on a well-chosen portion of tlio Belt. I agree with the idea of many people I have spoken to that now, is tho time to have a comprehensive plan prepared to guide us as tlio work proceeds. So many things have to ho considered that I think wo should employ the most capable man we can secure for the work, even if a stiff fee slioujd bo asked. I see a groat danger in leasing portions of tlio Belt to sports bodies, and think that the Government acted hastily in granting the right to tlio City Council to do this. I am about the city and suburbs daily, and have been for many years, and know that delicate people and children (particularly' the latter) make daily use of tlio more level portions, and on Sundays and holidays and mornings and evenings in fine weather thousands of people find .benefit and pleasure by visits to all parts of the Belt. This is my answer to tho sports bodies' argument that tho Belt is_not used by the people. _ If any; bodies wish to have the exclusive right to grounds, I think they should seek property. To my mind making public reserves such as tlio Belt semi-private, or charging for admission for the benefit of sections of tho peoplo is wrong. I would like to see njoro public grounds formed for tlio various sports; tho dates and hours required could be booked by tlioso wishing to use them. ' I would like you, Mr. Editor, to give the views of The Dominion on this subject. Thanking you if you can find space for this letter, —I am, otc., FRANK HARBISON.