A GROUNDLESS COMPLAINT

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2253, 12 September 1914, Page 9

A GROUNDLESS COMPLAINT

FITTING UP OF TROOPSHIPS. The Prime - Minister was questioned in the House last evening by Mr. Glover (Auckland Central) regarding the action of the Government in respect to the fitting up of the troopships. Mr. Glover said that he had just received a letter written on behalf of the Auckland branch of the Amalgamated' Society of Carpenters and Joiners in which it was complained that an injustice had been done to Auokland by the Government having had by far tho greater number of the troopships fitted up in Wellington. The letter stated that it was understood in Auckland that men in Wellington had been working at their ordinary occupations during normal working hours and had been working overtime on tho ships, whilst men in Auckland had been out of work for weeks. The letter also allogod that whilst tho Government had been recommending private employers to refrain from discharging hands it; had itself been dismissing men employed on Government works. Mr.. Massey said that he regretted that the Minister of Defenco was not present to reply to the question regarding tho troopships. Ho might say, howevor, that tho matter of the fitting up of the vessels was under tho control of tho Imperial Government, and not under that of the New Zealand Government. So far as the latter Government was concerned, it had endeavoured i to distribute the work as fairly as possible botween the four principal centres! As to the statement regarding tho dischargo of men employed on Government works, that was absolutely contrary to fact. Ho would ask the Minister of Public Works whether his Department had been discharging hands. Mr. Fraser: No, certainly not. Mr. Massey: If the Minister of Railways were hero I am sure that ho would make the same reply. Tho Government, he continued, was itoins Hβ best to keep men,employed, ?nd. he

hoped to be" able within a few days to prove the truth of this statement. Hβ was referring particularly to what the Government intended to do in regard to tho gumfields in tho North of Auckland.