COUNTRY WORKERS

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 210, 31 May 1920, Page 6

COUNTRY WORKERS

COMPLAIN OF ACCOMMODATION

MAORI SHEARERS

LABOUR EMPLOYMENT BUREAU

Several claims and complaints on behalf of country workers were submitted to the Minister of Labour (Sir "William Herries) on Saturday morning by representatives of tho Now Zealand Workers' Union. This body was formerly the Shearers' [Iniiin, in which capacity it was active in seeking improvements in the accommodation provided for shearers. The union was enlarged to take iu all farm workers, and it was then known as/ tho Agricultural and Pastoral Workers' Union. Lately it has brought within its one organisation the road and railway workers on Government works all over country, and also ilaxmill workers, and'it is hits once more changed its name. It is now tho New Zealand Workers' Union;

Thero were representatives of all branches of the union present with this deputation which waited on thej Minister on Saturday. The representatives of the' Government constructs workers asked for tho assistance of the Minister 'in getting the consent of tho Govern* ment to their, demands recently submitted to tho Minister - of Public Works (Mr. Coates) for' considerably increased wages. They told the Minister that they 'irut made a good agreement with the Minister of Public' Works, and they hud every confidence .that he would give them a fair deal on the question of wages, but Mr. Coates had had to tell them that ho 'must consult lub colleagues on the question of wages. ' Another proposal was that the labour bureaux conducted by tho Labour Department should bo so developed as to be more useful and more efficient. It appeared that the deputation wished that the Government should so extend the operations of these bureaux that there would be no room for private registry offices and labour exohanges. It was pointed out that the existence of a number of such establishment} in the same town was apt to lead to confusion. A man desiring three workers might go to three offices and advertise through them all, and it would appear that there were vacancies for nine workors instead of only 'three. It was cuggested thai the Government bureaux should advertise that they wero prepared to supply all labour, and that thc-y should work in with the unions to some extent, so that members of' the New Zc-aland Workers' Union in search of work should bo rent to the Government bureaux rather than to private' agencies. Very little was said about the accommodation provided for shearers, except in tho case of Maori shearers. The difference in the -..me of Maoris is that women and girls as well as men do work in the sheds in the season, and it was alleged that the ncommodation provided for these workers was not such as to make proper provision for decency—was oven such to conduce to immorality. Better accommodation was asked for thrashing mill hands and harvesters at farms. It was alleged that often these raen had to sleep in filthy 'quarters, and_ that the Departmental inspectors winked at breaches of the Act. ' Tho request of the deputation was that the Shearers' Accommodation Act, should be amended so as to bring other agricultural workers within its scope, and- that organisers for the union should have the right to inspect quarters provided for the men. A representative of the flaxmill wurkcrs said that the Act governing acommodation for flaxmill workers had brought about a considerable improvement in the men's quarters in the Manaw&tu district, but in other districts at smaller mills thev were still far from satisfactory. He" asked for the enforcement of the law as affecting 'these smaller mills. Last of all an appeal was made by Mr. Stevo Boreham on behalf of conscientious objectors.- He pleaded that the Government ought now to 'let bygones be bygones," lioerate the men still in prison, and repeal the provision by which oonvicted men were deprived of the franchise for ten years. The Minister in reply 6aid that he was always glad to hear such a deputation of workers/ because it was only by such talks that ho could know whether the administration of the law was giviDg satisfaction. He had noted that complaints had been made against the inspectors of the Department, and it would he the business of tho senior officers of the Department to inquire whether these idmplamts were well grounded. With regard to the accommodation a great step in advance hnd been made by the Act of last session. At any rate, 6ome of tho squatters had ibeen'to him assuring him that they would be ruined by it if it were strictly enforced. 1 • , ~ ' 'As"to the complaint ttbout the accommodation 'for Native shearers, he was Minister of Native Affairs as well as Minister of Labour and lie tad never yet had a complaint from tho Aativo members with regard to the accommodation provided for Maori shearers, lie suggested that Maoris were slightly different from whites, in this matter, because they had always been accustomed to sleeping .whole families in a room—in a big whare. This statement was challenged by h member of the deputation, who said that I Maoris did not now live in'this fashion, and that in any case- tkis complaint had not to do with members of the some family being herded together, but Maoris ot different families. Sir William Hemes said that if tlie Maoris expressed through .their members any desire'for more legislation 111 respect of accommodation for Maori Bheaiers, then as Minister of Native Affairs he would be prepared to give it consuleration, and if possible' to ''{ irr y It through. He would approach ilr. Ngata and other Maori members on tho point. • A member of the dentation said that the Native members represented only the land-owning Maoris, and not the workers. Tlnese rich Natives wero the strongest opponents the union had to meet. Sir William, Herries said that he would ejideavour to find out from the Native members whether this practice of putting people'of different scmb in the same room was contrary to_ Maori custom, and if so ho would 'bring !n legislation to deal with the matter. The question of the wages to be paid to Public Works men and other employees of the Government—notably tho railway men—was at present under consideration by the Government. As to the Public Works employees, he was Burn that what Mr. Coates recommended would bo agreed to by Cabinet, because Cabinet had confidence in Mr. Coates. In any case, the question was not one in which the Labour Department could 'iitertere. The complaints made with regard w alleged laxity in the enforcement of tho law relating to accommodation for naxmiS workers, thrashing mill worker?, nnd harvesters' would all be noted by Jie head of the Labour Department, win was-present for the purpose. I As to the suggestion about labour br.- • renux, this was a matter .of admimstrn- • tion. He saw 110 reason why the De- ! iiartmcnt should not advertise as »nd • neon suggested, but ho did not think the , Government would bo_ right in trying to . close up other agencies and take ana) '• the livelihood of tho people running I ilr. Boreham! Make them go ralibit-

Another-. Mnkr '.hem go and cut coal. The Minister saul tVilt it could (it least bo made better known that the Department was in the employment business as an agent for employers or work- ' Tlio question as to what should be •lono with the conscientious objectors was at present before Cabinet, and under Hipsp nircumstnncea ho could, wake no statement concerning it.