Flaxmillers and Farm Laborers Speak Up.

Maoriland Worker, Volume 3, Issue 61, 10 May 1912, Page 15

Flaxmillers and Farm Laborers Speak Up.

■ DISCUSTINC CONDITIONS. j

■ Till'; QUESTION OF ACCOMMODA-I m TION.

"Some of the accommodation provided for men employed about Haxmills is absolutely disgusting. It is most insanitary, and in many cases perfectly indecent." These statements wero made by the members of a deputation from the Manawatu l'Taxmill Employees' Union which interviewed the Minister of Labor (lion. G. Laureiison) and k urged upon him tho need of forcing the V employers to make improvements. ■ The chief speaker was the President H of tho Union (R. Dalhousie), who said H that for a long time the men had been ________________________________r (! ________________________________p° _______________________________F d IH--_-______H__H-_-ißHPli l d I shower (hot and cold water) for every I 20 men ; I (4) All dining and sleeping rooms to be match-lined throughout; (o) Provision of sitting-room, with sufficient fires to dry clothes in wet weather, say, one lire for every 15 men, fuel and lighting to be supplied by tlie employer; (G) Sleoping accommodation for cooks to bo entirely distinct i: i;i storeroom or kitchen; (7) Restriction of charge by <■■•■ plovers for accommodation and use i utensils to Is. per man per week : (8) Sufficient lavatory accommodation ; (9) Provision of first-aid appliance* at every mill; ►• (10) Appointment of accommodation inspectors. g Mr. Dalhousie said that some mjll ers had shown an inclination to neglec fcyen the meagre conditions now impos cd. It was indeed necessary to tio then Up fairly tight by regulation, or vc.r, little would bo done. The Union als protested against an attempt nojy bein made to havo contracts for labor onl »nd asked the Minister to legislate i order to frustrate it. Other speakers supported the r< quests, ono saying that the accomni dation provided for llaxmillers was tl rery worst he had over seen. Tho Minister said that the Union list of requests appealed to him being very moderate and reasonab indeed. lie waß given to understand that tho accommodation at some of the flaxmills was abominable. The requests had his sympathy, for he held that it was abominable that men should be compelled to live under the conditions described to him. He would have much pleasure in bringing the requests i before Cabinet, and hoped that something would bo done to secure improvement before very long.