POOLBURN DRAINAGE CAMP.

Evening Star, Issue 21746, 14 June 1934, Page 14

POOLBURN DRAINAGE CAMP.

TO THE EDITOR. Sir, —I would like to add to Mr O’Rorke’s remarks on the above camp.' la the first place the men concerned (about seventy) were brought up here under false pretences. They were told at the bureau that they would make £3 or more a week. The work is called cooperative contract. Each party, consisting of about twelve men, signs an agreement to excavate a ditch through swamp and water. The price agreed upon (or, rather, forced upon the men —it is a case of sign or go down the road) is Is per cubic yard, which can be altered at any time by the engineers. Everyone works his hardest for one month, and when pay day comes receive about 10 a day, with wet weather or time lost through sickness deducted. The engineer explains that this is only a progress payment, and, so they work for another month, expecting a decent pay. Of course, the heads are sorry and all that, biit next’ month might be better. A few get discouraged and go home, -but- there are plenty more where they came from, and so the circle goes on.' Out of their pay they have to pay board, 15s or 16s a week, 2s 6d a bag for what is called coal, but in reality is the sweepings of some road near a coal pit and consists of slack, dirt, and stones, and 2s 6d for firewood. I would like Mr O’Rorke to tell me where the mine “ sticks ” for 2s 6d come from, as 1 only got five, which lasted me one night. There are two men to each tent, and to provide a reasonable fire takes anywhere from 5s to 7s 6d per tent per week. Unless a fire is kept on all night everything in the tent—clothes, blankets, etc. —‘is covered with a thick dew and soaking wet, There is, as Mr O’Rorke states, a drying room for gumboots, which are as wet on Monday morning as when put in at 1 p.m. on Saturday. I personally spend two hours at night holding mine in front of the fire in my tent to dry. This is; of course, a waste of time, as they are wet inside and out before 10 a.m. next day. The men put their gumboots on at 7 a.m. and never have them off till 5 p.m., as the water is not only above their knees everywhere, but over their heads in some places. If a man falls in and gets wet (this happens on an average of two men a day) it takes over 2s 6d worth of wood or coal to dry one lot of clothes. This, together with time lost, brings the wages down still lower. I have been told by several residents of this district that the swamp dries up and_ there is not a vestige of water about in the summer, so why is the job not left over till then? There would be no fuel bills to pay, more work done, and perhaps our wives and families would be able to enjoy a good meal occasionally. _ In regard to the Public Works official’s statement as to marrieS men’s tents, the man in question had full authority to take his wife to the camp, ns did several others. The mayor (Mr Cox) had an assurance from Mr Bromley and also the Public Works Department that tents were ready for‘married men. But this, I think, was only another scheme on the part of the Unemployment Board to get the men away to camp, nnd ; no one worried about them after they were on the train. Not all those men were forced into camp, some came of their own free will. But all of them want, to better themselves if possible, as any thing is better than the dole in town.* Now tbey are 60 per cent, worse off than before. On payday, myself and four or five others had three days'ln, from which .was deducted train fare 10s 2d, and firewood 2s 6d, leaving 19s 7d to pay 15s board, and coal 2s 6d. My wife and children [received nothing, but if all goes well she will get half-pay about the 14th or loth of Julyi If the conditions of this camp were investigated by a party of holiest and reputable citizens, I am quite sure that the job would be closed down immediately, for if things are allowed to remain as they are, it will cost the country ten times what the land; is worth in medical and funeral expenses > and widows’ pensions. • As I write a man has just returned from a visit to the doctor at Lauder. He scratched his hand with a shovel; sit work two days ago, and,, owing to 'the water and filth he was working in, the hand bebame poisoned. He walked to Lauder (I believe it is over fifteen miles) to get it lanced, and if it had not been for the doctor asking the Public Works Department to bring him back in a lorry would have had to walk back. Had it hot been for the kindly assistance, and advice of the lady; in charge of the cookshop he patronises he would have stayed in the camp and perhaps lost his arm. There is no conveyance for an injured man in the camp, but there is sometimes a whisky bottle half full of cough mixture, and there is nearly always-a little iodine; that is all for anyone that gets hurt.— I am, etc., J. Benxet. June 13.