UNEMPLOYED MEN.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5179, 16 September 1927, Page 2

UNEMPLOYED MEN.

DISTRESS AT KARANGAHAKE

NO WORK AT RAILWAY TUNNEL.

Owing to the difficulty in obtaining work in and around Karangahake during the last few months some of the married men have experienced considerable difficulty in making ends meet. A considerable amount of work is being carried out in reconstructing and repairing the railway tunnel at Karangahake, and frequent applications have been made by local men for employment on that work, but without success.

Four married men from Karangahake waited on the Paeroa Chamber of Commerce and sought its assistance in obtaining employment. Realising the eases were deserving ones, the chamber immediately took the matter up and on Monday a telegram was despatched to Mr A. M. Samuel, M.P., Wellington, requesting him to use his influence in getting the fourmen taken on at the tunnel works. Mr Samuel placed the- position before the officials of the Railway Department and received the following reply from the staff superintendent: “With reference to employment of four married men deserving employment on the Karangahake tunnel job, I have communicated with the district engineer, Auckland, and And that there is no opportunity of employing the men on this job, and at the present time there is no other work offering for them. In the circumstances it is regretted that nothing can be done for them in the direction desired.” Yesterday the Chamber of Commerce secretary (Mr E. A. Porritt) received a telegram from Mr Samuel stating that after full inquiry he regretted that the men mentioned from Karangahake- could not be found employment on the tunnel. • On inquiry being made at the local railway station yesterday afternoon it was learned that the work at the tunnel was of a skilled nature, and only the department’s permanent staff was employed on the lob.