AUCTION SALES.

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 197, 15 May 1919, Page 8

AUCTION SALES.

J MXTtJEES. -'•.' -■■'■ . * ■•.;•"" TO-DAY.- : •.';: | (Breakneck'," lea," Mastcrton-Saie" of stock i. ' and'lmplements (Levin and Oo.). [Koputarna, 12 noon (Ist day).-Salo of sheep ..and pedigree cattio (Abraham and Willi Hams). ..... j«4.Hobson .Street, .Wellington,; 12.30 .p.m.ji_^'Furnituresale (E,' Johnston.and.Co.). itJJp'perßutt 7 Yards? 1 p.ml-StOQk sale (Dalji. gety and Oo.',"ahd KZ, Lba'n'Co.).' j ■■■■'■"■ •■- to-morxow. ' I Shed, King's Wharf, Weil'i'neton, 10 a.m. i:—Balo.:ofi>corrugated iron (K; Johnßto.n ! " and OJ.rvj: •:■.■•• .:• .-■ •■: '■'■' ■■■■:>: Eopntarua, -12 noon (2nd.-,'day),—Salo- of '-'-snoop' ami pedigree cattle (Abraham "ahdWilllamß). ' . ■' i 195";L'ambto'n'Quay, Wellington, 2.30 p.m.—. !',. ''Oity property sale (Harcourt and Co.). jrho Haymarkot, Auokland, 2.30 p.m.—Land sale (A, Buokland and Son). '.'■'-■ SATURDAY, jelmont, 1 p.m.—Salo of cows, poultry, • urnituro, ctc> (H. E. Leighton), Accommodation for SECRETARY FOR LABOUR REPLIES ".■;.;.. TOA.P.U. !■'■'"' '■■'■■''. —■ —' ■ -.' WORK DONE BY DEPARTMENT : - The Secretary : for Labour, Mr. P.' W. ißowley,.yesterday issued a reply ■ to. the statement (made during an interview between a deputation from-the'Agricultural and Pastoral Workers' 'Onion and the Acting-Minister of Labour) that tlu> ■Labour Department had not given adequate attention to the inspection : of ac comniodatioir for shearers. He said: ''The secretary of the union has been good enough to say that his union haa :io complaint to make against the Department. On the contrary, he hiis on moro than one occasion stated that itis of no itise.tho Department's sending an inspector [around tho country until" the' Act ie amended. we have sent an [inspector around.' A great deal more inspection has keen,done during the past Jfour'.or five years—during the war—than [.■was ever. dona.before,..and it i& a Jiote-i-worthy fact' that more complaints, have jbeen received during that? time than previously. The staff of the Department lias, ■like that of other staffs, no doubt been ivery much reduced by enlistments, otherKvise a good deal more inspection would (have been done.

• "Early in 1914 I proposed asking tot ithe appointment of one or .two.inspectors especially to attend to the accomniodaj.tipn for shearers and. other country wort because, it was found'impossible for ■ the Department's: ordinary.:.inspectors to I leave, .their •headquarters'for a sufficient, 'length of -. tiuie-;-to I to. this work, but the. war prevented this [appointment being proceeded -with. In [February last, however, the Hon. Mr. Iflenies authorised the appointment of an jinspectpr for .this purpose: This was the jeartiest opportunity of'doing so; This inspector -has- already made an' inspection i jof a considerable number of stations. i'JMeover, • every complaint received ieIPpecting the-accommodation for swearers jat any station has been attended to, and (the union has been advised of the reisult in each'instance. I might add that jriuring the past seiiwns 125 requisitions , :for improvements to'accommodation were 'served by the Department, and these are waiting compliance. .' \ ' "l want to mention also that many of Jthe cases complained of refer to the employment of d Maori shearer. I }.. Most of [these men-bringstheir.-wives and-raniiires. i-with' the'm/.lnit'if the women anil children' 'are riot.:^ntpToyed'''thefe ,! is i h6;.bbligation \ on-Vthe"--employer torprovido-.accoramoda-tiph for them, an'd the opinion lias sometimes been expressed,that. we. sliould not interfere with the . Maoris' . customary mode" "of living':".' Several-owners have, complained.tlmt the accommodation provided for their men is overtaxed, by the jMaori shearers, bringing their families liW-ith them. .Frequently separate rooms iaro provided for males and females, but Ithis arrangement does not suit the liMaoris; •In -somo instances these men ,(pulldown jtliq bunks and.wire .stretchers provided, preferring to .iriakd'.up their ;J)eds-on the flborj Again, "we'sometimes j find .that the complainis mails, .are either i 3iof wejl 'foimde.d,; tlie .'h'ccomPtpdation ; be- • satisfactory,, or.' jean* be' done.Because the Act.'dies not, I ft Pply> A theYb ;hot' beiri'g! six 'shearers '; T eiri»- | ployed, .or that the work is done by eon* iwiofc.:,.;'.. ',"' .':/-' • ':•''. '"' ..-'••: ' I ■■ ''The "above remarks .will, Ilthiiik; e\in]v I'that..the ,of for I engagers js .'not ' an '] easy one/to' ''■-. deal j-irith. However, how that a'special'inspector .has . lioen.. appointed, ior .this Nvorkl'and with a prospect of an Amending Act being.,brought, into shortly, In considerable 'improvement" niay\be lookjed forward to before. loh<';" j The above reply was authorised by the r Acting-Minister of Labour (the Hon. W. ; H. Hemes).