MIDLAND RAILWAY

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 15 January 1931, Page 5

MIDLAND RAILWAY

MEETING OF DISMISSED MEN RESOLUTION TO HON. E. A. RANSOM At a meeting of dismissed railway ■workers field 10-day at the Owen, the following resolution to be sent to the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. E. A. Ransom) was carried: — “That we (some 250 men) respectfully urge that your Government continues with the Midland railway, or failing this to immediately find work for all men recently discharged who are still in this vicinity, and in dire need of work, due entirely to these men not having received word of dismissal prior to Christmas, instead of which they, as you know, were dismissed immediately on their return to work on 7th January. The position of two stores here and at the Gowan is so acute that they perforce are unable and refuse to give the men any further credit, which means destitution. These are facts. There are here on the works 75 married men with an average of four children. Failing immediate assistance from your Government the moral aspect enters largely into these people’s lives, turned out on the road homeless and penniless. We refrain, however, from any comment on your Government’s policy, an approved policy pledged to the people that your party was placed in power re this railroad.” Copies of the resolution will also be forwarded to the Hon. H. Atmore, Minister of Education, and Mr G. C. Black, M.P.

GISBORNE LINE CESSATION OF CONSTRUCTION POSITION OF FAMILIES DESPERATE (By Telegraph—Press Association) GISBORNE, 13th January. Work on the Waikokopu-Gisborne section of the East Coast line officially ceases to-morrow, when 724 men will be thrown out of employment and thousands of pounds’ worth of material and work will be practically scrapped. During the past few days gangs of men have been engaged in pulling up rails which took weeks to lay down. Many of the men on the works are married, and have families ranging up to eight children, the total number of persons affected being estimated at about 1300. The stores and cookhouses on the works have stopped credit, and a majority of the workers have practically no money. The position of many men, women, and children is desperate. Appeals are being made through the columns of the Press in Gisborne for food, and already donations of sheep, bread, sugar, fruit, etc., have been sent. So far no official intimation has been received of any other work being provided for the men displaced by Cabinet’s decision to suspend work on the line.

ALTERNATIVE WORK DEMANDED

A largely attended meeting of the New Zealand Workers’ Union w r as held at Bartletts, the main railway camp, on Sunday afternoon, and the following resolutions were passed:— This meeting of the Kopua branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union declares its determination to remain in occupancy of the works accommodation until such time as the Government provides alternative employment elsewhere for married and single men alike, the cost of transfer to be borne by the Government. Failing this, we call upon the Government to provide the men with sustenance payments according to the Unemployment Act. This meeting protests most emphatically against the statement by Mr Ransom that the average wage earned by workers on this section is 17s per diem. A perusal of the time-sheets of a number of the men was made at the camp yesterday by a “Times” reporter, and this indicates unmistakeably that in very many cases the average is nearer 12s a day than 17s. Men are put on co-operative jobs, and payment is made per cubic yard. In November last one gang of 11 men received for a month’s work a cheque for £BS 7s Bd, an average of just under £7 15s 3d a man, equivalent on the hours worked to Is 6.22 d an hour. In October six men drew a cheque for £55 18s 3d, equivalent to Is 3.31 d an hour. \

In August last four men divided a cheque of £3l 2s sd, equivalent to Is 2.486 d an hour.

A party of 11 in February last were working on a steam navvy and individual wages for the month ranged from £ls 15s 4d, including Sunday and overtime.' to £6 15s sd, the average working out at 10.64 d an hour. The lowest figures of the lot were those in the case of a married man with wife and five children, all living at the camp, whose earnings for twelve months ended March last totalled £149 6s Sd These dockets are authentic, and were produced by the men for inspection.

The low pay in many cases is due to the fact that wet weather means no work, and in some parts of the line one day’3 rain will mean three days’ idleness, due to the nature of the soil in which the men are working. When the works were started at Kopua a medical association was formed. Each man on the works contributed 4s 3d each month toward the cost of a medical man, who resides in the camp. A meeting of the Kopua Medical Association was held last night, and decided to disband after to-morrow'. This means that the isolated district in which the population of the camps totals at least thirteen hundred men women, and children, will be without the services of a doctor.

WORK AT ARAPUNI MEN BEING SENT WELLINGTON, This Day. The Minister of Public Works the Hon. W. B. Taverner, has arranged for 70 men to be transferred from Okailiati, Rangialma and Tangow'ahine railway construction work to Arapuni immediately. The necessary preparations are now’ being made at Arapuni to accommodate the increased staff and the Public Works Department will arrange transfers without delay.