PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE.

King Country Chronicle, Volume VI, Issue 508, 12 October 1912, Page 5

PUBLIC WORKS EXPENDITURE.

CO-OPERATIVE SYSTEM CONDEMNED. SMALL CONTRACTS ADOVCATED [BY TKLEGRAPH. —I'EE.SS ASSOCIATION.] Wellington, Friday.

In the House this afternoon, Mr Brown moved the first reading of the Co-operative Workers on Public Works Bill, explaining that the measure aimed at bettering the conditions under which men on co-operative works laboured. He held that the cessation of co-operative works, such as had occurred at Napier, was inimical to the best interests of the men and the country generally. It was a terrible thing that one man should have power to suddenly stop work which had been ordered by Paliament. The Minister for Public Works should not be an autocrat, but should carry out the will of Parliament. Mr Forbes said that, before condemning the co-operative works system, the Minister should have made a thorough investigation. He hoped the Minister would not abolish the system. Hon. W. Fraser: I never said I would.

Mr Forbes: lam glad to have the Minister's contradiction of the statement. Continuing, he contended that if investigation were made the Minister would find that some of the waste lay at the door of the engineering staff.

Mr Pearce maintained that the works at Napier should never have been started. Dozens of "first sods" had been turned just prior to the late Government going out of office. These works had been undertaken with the Public Works Fund empty, and money at 5 per cent, in London. He held that it would be better for the men and country if the co-operative system were abolished. Mr W. D. S. Mac Donald held that it was very hard on the men to employ them in winter on works and then dismiss them when the long days came, and they could earn good money. Mr Ell said the men now had a system by which they could ballot out wasters and classify themselves. Mr F. H. Smith said it was ridiculous to suppose that strong men would ballot their weaker colleagues out of a gang. He contended that the barrow system was out of date 50 years ago. Hon. W. Fraser said if they would make the co-operative system small contract system, he was with them.

Mr Forbes: It :*.s now. Hon. Fraser: You don't know much about it. He went on to say that the principle co-operative works was not the principle of small contracts. Why, he said, Otago Central Railway works were a by word in the district. What was really wanted, he said, was more inspection, and inpection did not end with the navvys. The gangers needed watching. Hear, hear.—He insisted that men should have the right to select their own mates. In connection with the Napier works he said he refused to sanction a wasteful method of carrying out the public works of the Dominion. Mr C. K. Wilson stated that the co-operative labourers themselves were thoroughly dissatisfied with, and had universally condemned the system. • He knew of cases where gangs had to sit down for a week waiting for the overseer to come along. Hon. R. McKenzie said the Government members were the only ones who condemned the system. He had received very few complaints during the three years he administered the department. He pointed out that throughout the Dominion local bodies carried out earthworks on the cooperative system. 'The Bill was read a first time.