ROAD MAINTENANCE MEN

Gisborne Times, Volume IX, Issue 824, 24 February 1903, Page 3

ROAD MAINTENANCE MEN

RATE OF WAGES PER DAY,

Tho rato of wages paid to County Council maintenance men was discussed at the Council meeting yesterday, when an application was received from F. Proudfoot, surfaceman on tho Mangatu road, for an increaso from 7a to 8s por day. Tho applicant pointed out that ho was making moro than 8s por day at other work, and ho could only resume work for tho Council on condition that ho received

Ba. Tho Chairman said that tho question had been considered by the Works Com- h mittec, but that no decision had been t arrived at. It was admitted that tho r applicant was a first-class man, and was considered by tho Engineer to bo worth o 8s per day, but there was tho fact that the I other men woro only receiving 7s per day to bo taken into account. 1 Cr Richardson : Tho men can only got 8s per day for a short time at other work. \ I consider 7s wet and dry to bo a s very good wage, l Cr Clayton : By paying this man 8s a t day and tho others 7s would be cteating a i very bad precedent. _ ! Cr Richardson : Thoro is no doubt- that i B omo men are well worth 8s por day, whilst others arc not worth 7s. Cr Harding: If the man is recotumonded by the Engineer as being a thorough good workman, trustworthy, so that ho can be left to his work, ho is well worth 8s per day, Lots of men you get at 7s arc not capable to do tho work. Tho application is recommended by the Engineer. and tho member for Motu says that he is a good man; so why should wo stick at a shilling V Cr Clayton : If we raise it in this case we must raise it in others. If tho Engineer does not report them to be good and thoroughly capable workmen they will, no doubt, want to know tho reason why. The nuestion before the Council is whether wo shall pay tho maintenance men 8s per clay. The Chairman : If you allow this man to got employment at a high rato of at a certain time in tho year and then take him on at £IOO per year, he is well off. Cr Clayton : There arc very few stations that can give a man 7s per day wet or dry. Tho Enginoer explained that tho men were only paid for tho time they worked. If they did not work on wet days they were not paid. If one man was granted an increase tho others would have to have Cr Harding : All the good men.

Cr Clayton : They aro all good men You cannot say that we havo any bac ones.

(Jr Dobbio : Cannot tho man bo replaced at 7s per day V Surely there are plenty of good men about the district '! After further discussion it was decided to decline the application, and adhere to the 7s per day.