PAKURATAHI.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 4380, 3 April 1875, Page 3

PAKURATAHI.

April X, 1875. The controversy between the sub-contractors and the workmen on the Upper Hutt and Mungaroa section of the railway line has not yet been satisfactoxily settled. Though the works arc going on, the workmen who have families to support arc still agitating for fortnightly payments. They say monthly payments are a great drawback to them; and, no doubt, there is truth in their assertion, as they have to work one month before they receive their pay. Then, perhaps, it is all paid away in a tew days, consequently tho necessaries of life cannot be supplied to their families foxone month; which, no doubt, is the case in many instances. The sub-contractors say they cannot pay tho workmen unless the original contractors pay them. Men are coming and going continually; sometimes twenty or thirty will leave during the month, and the sub-con-tractor must settle up with them, whether they work one day or three weeks. Now, I do not see how the sub-contractor can pay his men fortnightly when the original contractor only pays monthly ; but if tho Government has made arrangement for the workmen to bo paid fortnightly by the principal contractors X do not see why it should not be euThe works on the Pakuratahi section of the line are progressing favorably as far as the line is sublet. Mr. H. Johnston is now in full charge, and intends to push tho works ahead vigorously ; and, with Mr. Tawse as overseer of the works, I have no doubt but the works in that section of the line will be pushed ahead with greater erifirgy than they have been hitherto. Whiteman, the first sub-contractor on this section, ha e re-let tho most of his work.

Cooper is taking advantage of the fine weather, and employing all the men he can get. Barker, having completed his excavations approaching the west side of his tunnel, is now opening out the tunnel mouth, and keeps the work going all the twenty-four hours with eight hour shifts. There seems to be a gang of fellows about' here who think they can put the law at defiance when they are a mile or two in the bush. Last week a mob of them went by night and took a quarter-cask of ale belonging to Mr. Wagg, which happened to be standing outside his door, carried it some distance into the bush, and, after having swallowed its contents, rolled it out to public view. Only the other night Mr. Hastwell’s waggons were standing outside the same place, when they were broken into by night, and sundry cases of Hennessy’s brandy, Hollands gin, jams, and other things disappeared. Surely it is time we had some protection up here from these desperadoes. With all the increase of people here X think tho authorities might station a trooper somewhere between here and the Upper Hutt; one who would like no better sport than to have an encounter ■with some of those night operators.