NO MORE "SMOKE.OH'S"

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 197, 6 September 1937, Page 8

NO MORE "SMOKE.OH'S"

Ngaruroro River Control Workers The practice of giving men employed on the Ngaruroro river control scheme time off for both morning and aftor--onon tea, is to be discontinued, and the halLan-hour so utilised is to be included in travelling time. This decision was reached by the Hawke's Bay Rivers Board to-day so that it should comply with the provisions Of the award. The clerk, Mr. W. J. Pallot, explained that the men would start work at a quarter of an hour later in the morning, and would cease work a quarter of an' hour earlier in the afternoon. The board decided not to grant time off for "smoke-oh" for which the men were paid, but thcy would be paid the halfhour daily for travelling time instead. The award, he said, could not be deviated from. Mr. G. Rochfort, engineer, pointed out that most of the men employed left Hastings at 6.50 a.m., aiid as far as they wero concerned he did not think they had- any complaint. • As far as the "sinoke-ohs" wero concerned, the men, he thought, would be sorrjr to lose them. The chairman said that in future, if there were "smoke-ohs" they would lie in the men's own time. Under the ueiv arrangement the men would not leava Hastings before 7 a.m., and would start work at 7.45 a.m. . Mr. Rochfort pointed out that under the award the men could not be started before 7 a.m. "And this is God's own country," remarked Mr. R, E. Talbot. Any further negotiations were left in the hands of the chairman, tho clerk, and the fengineer.