DISMISSED WORKMAN

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 185, 2 May 1940, Page 10

DISMISSED WORKMAN

Union Officials Endorse Action Of Minister

HAAST PASS INCIDENT

The action of the Minister of Public Works, Mr. Semple, in dismissing one of the men on the Haast Pass Road job is endorsed in a letter received by die Minister from the national president of the New Zealand Workers Union. Mr. R. Eddy, and the national secretary of the union, Mr. A. Cook. Making a copy of the letter available yesterday, Mr. Semple mentioned that in his previous public statement lie invited officers of the union to examine documentary evidence in Ids possession that prompted him to take the action he did. They had availed themselves of the opiwrtunity and lie had received their letter, which read as follows:— "Having previously received the assurance of t’be Minister of Public Works that no workman would be sacked on account of holding different political opinions from those of the Minister, we readily availed ourselves of the invitation issued by the Minister to peruse tlie documentary evidence held by him, which he alleged justified him in taking tlie action lie did at Haast Pass. lo say the least, we were somewhat, amazed by tlie contents of the document held by tlie Minister, and must admit that Mr. Semple bad sufficient evidence of a very damaging nature justifying him in taking tlie action lie did ‘ Tlie evidence in Mr. Semples possession discloses tlie disagreeable fact beyond any shadow of doubt that more time was spent by certain individual* on propaganda of a disruptive kind than on work. Under these circumstances, and with a full knowledge ol what was going on at (lie Haast. no self-respecting Minister of Die Crown could justify a continuation of conditions Unit must ultimately lead to a waste of public money that would amount: to a public scandal. I lie fact that Hie Minister’s action received the endorsement of practically Hie whole of Hie men on the job shows that they were heartily sick of the whole affair and welcomed a clean-up.” The Minister added Hint rhe impression had been left (bat the man was "sacked" at: tr public meeting. That was not so. He did not address a public meeting; the only people be spoke to were I lie men on the job.