GAS WORKS.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIII, Issue 2240, 17 February 1921, Page 3

GAS WORKS.

(To the Editor.) Sir,—Allow me space in which to put the other side of the question re harmony between myself and the Council. It seems that on every occasion that I have had to do business with the Council I have also had to face the hostility of two councillors, for what reason I do not know, seeing that they have so far been unable to disclose the reason. How can harmony exist when one is discribed as a “pointer” and various other epithets. As far as 1 am concerned, I have no ill will against the Council as a body, as was inferred by the Mayor. I simply asked that my position he reviewed in regard to hours and conditions of work, and told shortly to take my instructions from the manager. From whom else have I taken my instructions, and who else is there qualified to give me instructions ? The inference is that Ido not hit it with the manager, which is untrue. The Council’s motion is an effort to.throw dust in the eyes of the public, and cloud the real issue. When I started at the works some years ago m.V schedule of duties was put before mo, fully typed out, in which I had to start work at 7 a.m„ and charge twelve retorts. Since then more retorts have been brought into use, making eighteen in usenow, and a further two to he installed, making iwenly-two to be done in a shift of eight hours, which, for one man, is" eleven over the number recognised as a one man shift, six shifts per week. The argument that an ex Ira man is now on is worthless, as his work is outside the stokehouse, mainly changing meters, cleaning services, and so forth, and does not in the least aifeet my position. Take the increase in output of gas, 18(1,500 c. ft. over the corresponding month of last year, which is sufficient answer to my claims. It the output is going lo increase at that rate, does it not follow that wages should increase for the extra work to cope with it I have no desire to harness the consumers by any action, as I am a consumer myself, but I am quite willing to meet the Council and arrive at an understanding, which, so far, I have been refused, such understanding to take the form of an agreement to cover a specified term.—Yours, etc., E. G. MARTIN.

To the Editor.) Sir.—As a ratepayer who supported the gas loan proposal originally, I can understand*the Council doing its best to keep down expenses at the works, and save the ratepayers from a burden which they put upon their own shoulders l>,v allowing a hand of speculators to put down the works, which the ratepayers should have done, and then buying them back at nearly double the cost. 1 do not blame the present Mayor and Council for this, and it is no use crying over spilt milk, as we have got to pay. If it had not been for this mistake, two stokers and a manager could now be employed under fair conditions, and consumers would he paying less for gns. In reference to the work, I think the Council is to he congratulated upon the good work done by its managers. I think, Sir, you will agree that we have been served faithfully, economically and efficiently. As for the stoker, his only offence, in the opinion of several I have spoken to, is that he expresses his opinions freely and openly, and that, does not always pay, But apart, from this I think every one who knows him will admit that he is a splendid workman, and although classed as a stoker, is a good abound man, and quite competent to lake a position as a working manager of any minor works. But, Sir, I think the Mayor is it little too cautious in expenditure, and iu works of this nature it isn’t always a good policy to he a penny wise and pound foolish, and if my information is correct, the Mayor and Council Gas Committee will lose no time, a part from the matter of wages, to get an expert to examine the works and present a report as to the condition of the whole plant—Yours, etc RATEPAYER.