SMALL CONTRACTS

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2155, 22 May 1914, Page 7

SMALL CONTRACTS

the dispute at bealey

MINISTER IN REPLY

. A statement by a union secretary (Mr. 11. Armstrong) in rei'erenco to tho ciisputo that has arisen at tlio liealey end of tho Otira Tunnel in rei'erenco to the institution of the small contract system, was published in The Dominion yesterday. Interviewed on the subject, tho Hon. V>\ Eraser (Minister of Public Works) made tho following statement:— "In consoquenco of the dissatisfaction expressed by the engineers both as to tho progress and cost of tho work, it was .decided to havo the work done on the small contract system. When tho men were informed of this a week or ten days ago. somi> of them demurred. After consultation with tho engineer tho rates of pay and details of working wero modi&ed and agreed to. Then somo of tho men declined to go to work under the small contract system; twentythree agreed, but twenty-seven refused. Mr. Armstrong then telegraphed to mo that tho union protested against tho small contract system, urging that tlie Wages system was tho better for the men and the Department and tho safety of- tho tunnel. I replied that in consequeuco of tho unsatisfactory the work and tilio cost, the small contraot system must bo instituted. I said that equality of payment without any regard to the quality of service did not commena itself to mo as being either in the interests of the Dominion'as a whole or of tho workers themselves: and that tlio safety of the tunneLwould bo as oarefully attended'to as in tho past. I am informed that on Sunday last tlio men agreed to go to work under tho small contract system, but that on Monday they declined to sign the contract. In tlio meantime I am having further inquiries made." The truth of tho mattor appeared to be, tho Minister added, that the union objected to contract work, and wished to insist upon day labour. It objected to any, form of contract'work, small contract, coroperativo system, or anything else, but. a system of day wages.