HIGH WAGES PAID RESIDENTS TO REPAIR TRAMLINE POTHOLES

Grey River Argus, 10 August 1948, Page 7

HIGH WAGES PAID RESIDENTS TO REPAIR TRAMLINE POTHOLES

Wellington Week-end Jobs in Suburbs WELLINGTON, Aug 9, So bad are potholes along many tramlines in Wellington, and so short is labour, that citizens of one suburb organised their own work gangs to repair the roads. On Saturday and Sunday, members of the Lyall Bay Residents’ Association, having accepted Wellington City Council’s invitation to volunteer for work, took over long needed repairs to the tram trucks in Onepu Road, which is the main street of the suburb. With volunteer gangs were three skilled workmen from the tramways permanent way department. It is expected that gangs of men provided from association members will continue working during week-ends until late November, unless trouble with union officials arises. For his eight-hour service on Saturday each man will be paid £2 7s by the City Council. For Sunday work the pay is £2 10s. Both rates are free of tax. Lyall Bay is only one of many districts in which tram tracks are badly in need of repair, acting-Mayor .(Mr R. L. McAlister) said on Saturday: “I hope this work will awaken the interest of residents in other areas to the help they can give to meet a great need.” JOBS COSTING THREE TIMES ORDINARY RATE The secretary of the General Labourers’ Union (Mr P. M. Butler), commenting on the plans, said that without wanting to reflect on _ the public-spiritedness of the citizens who had volunteered, he considered that the whole project was stupid. The cost to the council in doing the iob with voluntary labour and having to use close supervision would nrobablv treble the ordinary figure. He held that the council would find the necessary labour if it “went about it rim riaht wav”