MIDLAND LINE STOPPAGE

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 13 January 1931, Page 2

MIDLAND LINE STOPPAGE

PROGRESS LEAGUE’S DECISIONS REQUEST EOR ASSISTANCE FOR WORKERS DEPUTATION TO BE SENT TO WELLINGTON A meeting of the Nelson Provincial I rogress League was held this morning to discuss the position in regard to the suspension of work on the Midland railway. There were present: Messrs A Gould (president), G. C. Black (M.P for Molueka), W. J. Moffatt, E. G. Gibbs. G. Man son, F. 1. Ledger, 11. J. Stewart, J. Wigzell, Radford, A. Thompson, F. \V. Huggins, T. Morel, P. Best, H. R. Duncan, Hon. IV. W. Snodgrass, and Dr. S. A. Gibbs. Apologies were received from Messrs J. Corder. S. P. Clay, 11. Everett, and 11. W. Kelly. The chairman extended a welcome to the Murchison representatives, Messrs Stewart and Morel, and to Mr Radford, the newly appointed Tahunanui representative.

The chairman mentioned that 800 attended an indignation meeting in Gisborne but Nelson is in rather a different position as their member of Parliament is a member of the Cabinet and they should not do anything to prejudice his position, in the ‘interests of New Zealand. He contended there was nothing to he gained by going out of the way and in. sending a deputation to Wellington in anything but a temperate manner. The Government was up against it but the League considered the Midland line should be gone on with if any railway work was to be done. Nelson was given to understand a Royal Commission was set up to make enquiries but Nelson had not been given an opportunity to give evidence to that Commission, nor had they seen the result of the evidence in a report by the Commission. 'The Resident Engineer had informed him that no material was being moved from the Midland works. To-day most of the men are being put off and he thought that was the most important thing to be considered at tho moment. It had been said that the men would rather continue on the work at a reduced wage than be put off and face starvation.

The Secretary mentioned that the Hon. H. Atmore was doing his utmost for the cause in Wellington. The Minister considered the League should nail the Government down to its promise in regard to the Midland line. Mr Black considered the position of the men should be considered before the general position was discussed. He explained that the workers were told to go off for the Christmas holidays and on returning had been told to go off the work altogether. The position was desperate as most could not remove and help should be sent to them on the spot. One shopkeeper had £BOO worth of credit with those men and he had lit. tie or no chance of getting it. Members were emphatic that the men should have been informed of the stoppage of work before the holidays. Mr Huggins thought that enquiries should be made into the statements that they would work for a lower rate of pay. A lot should be made of it, he said, as it showed the. men realised the economi- j cal position of the country. He considered it wonderful that workmen should take that attitude. | Mr Stewart said he had spoken to a , number of the men. Some were willing | to work for 10s a day, while others were j against it and would accept it I only as a last resort to be kept in work i in preference to being out of work at all. Mr Moffatt warned the meeting about touching on the wage question. Tho railway was a. national work and there was no reason why rhe suggestion of reduction should come from Nelson. The railway was not a relief work. On the motion of Messrs Best and Mnnson the following resolution, to be sent to the Acting Prime Minister and others interested, was carried :

That this meeting of the Nelson Progress League now sitting wishes to make most urgent representations to the Government as to the deplorable situation in which nearly 300 men are suddenly plunged by their dismissal at short notice from the Midland railway construction works. A large proportion have returned from Christmas holidays and are practically penniless. It was not until 7th instant that they received notice that work would cease to-day and that they must vacate their present dwellings. They Jiave no means to travel to work elsewhere even if work were available. Their position is so desperate that it is obvious work must be found for them immediately to prevent total destitution. The Nelson Progress League therefore desires to be informed without delay of the Government’s intentions with regard to these men and would strongly urge that as a matter of decency nnd humanity alone the railway workers be allowed to continue formation work till whole question can be further considered.”

The Hon. W. W. Snodgrass sent the following message to the Hon. E. A. Ransom: “Further to the representations of the Progress League I most strongly support them and would more especially urge tint as one-third of these men are married the position, more especially in connection with the married men, is very desperate indeed. Money for these men to get away to other centres is not available and destitution is the alternative. Alight I’point out further that the Government allowed these men to come here and now proposes to leave them stranded. The matter is very urgent.” Information was gained from the Gowan that there are at present 90 married and 200 single men on the work. They will all be paid off to-day.