BURWOOD DISMISSALS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 117, 16 April 1940, Page 8

BURWOOD DISMISSALS.

“UNFOUNDED CHARGES.” DEMAND FOR INQUIRY. Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, April 15. Replying to the Minister of Public Works (Hon. R. Semple) in connection with the Burwood Golf Club job, Mr P. M. Butler, secretary of the General Labourers’ Federation, said he was confident that before the matter is concluded Mr Semple, who abhors an injustice, iVill he one of the first to say that the Burwood. men have been the victims of a miscarriage of justice. The Federation s quarrel was not with Mr Semple. He probably did what he considered to be correct at the time, but the federation wished to assure him and tlio public generally that the charges levelled at the men were on the whole unfounded and untrue. The fact that someone got to work quietly and had over 20 of the men re-engaged shortly alter the wholesale dismissal was proof that the charges were baseless. “Neither the federation .nor myself has ever attempted- to justify or defend vices and crimes of this nature alleged against these workers,” 6aid Mr Butler. “We satisfied ourselves by investigation that the .charges were unfounded, and we quietly and unostentatiously and. we hope, courteously requested an Inquiry. This request was forwarded by the Federation of Labour, representing almost 200,000 workers, to the proper quarters on Marcli 25 and wc suggest that it cannot be treated lightly. There are other aspects of the job which require investigation, and some of them are indeed startling.” , ~ , , ~ ... Mr Butler concluded bv stating that the federation was confident that such an inquiry would result in saving thousands of "pounds to the nation. It would disclose a disgraceful misuse of public funds. __