WORKERS’ WANTS

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVI, Issue 10603, 31 May 1920, Page 6

WORKERS’ WANTS

ftURAL HOUSING PROBLEM DEPUTATION TO MINISTER OF LABOUR. FAULTY INSPECTION ALLEGED. A deputation from the New Zealand workers’ Uniorii waited' upon the* Hon. Sir WillinhE.ilcrries., Minister for Labour. on .Saturday morning to lay before him, inter alia, certam complaints as to the poor and inadequate accommodation provided for workers in tho country' districts. Mr Mcdnernoy, as a representative of the Public Works Department, employees in tile organisation, expressed the hope that the Laboflr Department would assist in maintaining the improved conditions agreed to as the result of--tho recent •conference 1 with the Minister for Public Works, the Hon. J. G. Coates.

Referring toi tho fact that tho question of the wages of employees of the Public Morks Department had been held over for consideration by Cabinet, Mr S. Borelianr urged that in dealing with this matter due consiticra-' tion should be given to the fact that prices in the backblooks districts were at least 25 per cent, higher than in the cities. In tha House of Representatives last session,, ho said, the Prime Minister had stated that the wages for Government employees would be based on the awards of tho Arbitration Court, but that principle was not being adhered to. .While, for instance, 17s 6<l a day was tho award waso with bonuses for carpenters in private employ, carpenters engaged On certain public workg were getting only 14s a day. Travelling allowances were also paid by private employers. TO INCREASE PRODUCTION.

The improvement and extension of the Government Labour Bureau system,, so as. to avoid the existing duplication with private employment agencies, was urged by Mr nangseon. The Workers’ Union, he stated, desired to assist the Government in securing increased production; and it wanted, therefore, to have aa end made of the waste of time and energy in men running - hither and thither in search of employment. The Labour Jlepartment, he contended, should at least advertise in the newspapers that it was in a position to supply labour. The Workers' Union would co-operate as far aa possible with the department to assist to transfer surplus labour with as little inconvenience as possible to places where employment was available. RURAL WORKERS’ ACCOMMODATION. Referring to the housing of rural workers, -Mr Townsend said that the union thanked the Minister for Labour to some extent for 'last session's Shearers’ Accommodation Amendmeut Act, but they could nob thank him for ignoring in the legislation passed the great bulk of the country workers. The unions asked for the introduction next session of a bill on the lines of the Queensland Act. .which provided for all olasses..of country workers; and they were specially anxious that he should se© to it , that the Shearers’ Accommodation Act was not allowed” to become a dead ' letter. Wairoa farmers, for example, had contended that Maori shearers did not want improved accommodation. But that was not true. The Maoris,’ in fact," "had threatented to take direct action and refuse to shear for the farmers who failed to comply with the provisions of the Act. Sir William Herries said that ho thought that a great deal had been done in the way of improved accommodation. .

Mr Townsend recognised that up-to-date accommodation of the best class ha<J been, provided at certain places in the Wairarapa, but side by side with the stations which have given this improved accommodation were other stations where the bad old-time sheds were still in existence.Air Baldwin pointed, out that in certain case a the department had told the union thaf'thefe 'Was Ho cause of ruction; but when the cases in question were taken to court the department’s views proved to be‘"wrong. Reference was made by Mr Key to the smaller flaxmills outside the Mar.awatu district, which ho stated had not yet complied wieh the, regulations issued in 1912. If increased production : was to be secured, it was necessary, he contended, that better accommodation should be provided for rural workers so as to encourage men to take up country work. PROVISION FOR BOTH SEXES. Mr Templeton called attention to the need for amending the Act, to meet the cases in which Maoris of both sexes were employed. Organisers in the industry, he urged, should bo appointed as primary inspectors, so ns to permit of their inspecting the accommodation provided, and reporting to the Labour Department when it'was had. Mr Grayndler (union secretary) pointed out the importance of a complete settlement of the Huarau tunnel being arrived, at aa soon as possible, the men having resumed work on the condition that an farly settlement was made. Sir William Merries stated that he understood a complete settlement had been reached. Mr Grayndler said that that was the case, except ns to wages and hours. The union had taken notion, ho added, in a number of cases whore it was shown that broaches of iho award had occurred, but in other cases there had been great delay on tho part of the Labour Department in pa vino- attention to the complaints laid before them. As a matter of fact, tho union had, in consequence, been considering whether it should place any more cases in the hands of tho departmen t. MINISTER REPLIES “A GREAT STEP IN ADVANCE.” In reply, the Minister stated that it Was an assistance to tho Labour Department to hear any complamts that the union had to make, as it enabled the department to know what was really going on. A groat step in advance, he claimed, had boon made in the Shearers’ Accommodation Act. passed last session. The squatters, at any rate, had come to him and declared that they would ho ruined, by it. They had complained that they could not got tho necessary timber, and it must ho admitted that there was -a difficulty in that respect. Instrnotions had, however, been sent out by the department as to wbnt was required, and it was intended to put the Act into operation aa far ns possible. The deputation would admit that rural accommodation had been improved, wboth or by the union or by the "Labour Department. Matters relating to tho

Public Works Department were under tho control of his colleague, tho Hon. .). G. Coates, and tho Labour Department would fall in with any decision j tho Public Works Minister caiao to. : Mr Coates had tho confidence of tho Government, and no doubt any reasonable proposal ho jiut forward would bo considered by Cabinet. As to wages, the railway dispute conferences wero now being held, and any general bonus on wages that might bo granted to tho railway servants would probably apply also -to those employed in other public departments. Ho had received, as Native Minister, no complaints as to the accommodation provided for Maori shearers; but, if through their representatives in X>arliament tho Maoris expressed a desire for legislation on tho matter, ho was quite prepared-to carry it out. Maori customs, of course, were different from European customs. One of tho union representatives urged that whore more than one family occupied tho same hut, partitions should bo provided. Tho Hon. Mr Ngata, remarked another member of the deputation, would only represent the wealthier land-own-ing Maoris, and he was opposed to the union. Si> William Herric* replied that he must regard tho views of native members of Parliament as representing the race. In reference to tho other complaints made by tho deputation, tho Secretary Labour had hoard their representations and would have investigations made as to the matters complained of. If laxity in inspection was proved action would bo taken. Tho labour bureau question was an administrative one, and if tho system was extended, complaint would no doubt be raised that the Government was endeavouring to monopoliso the supplv of labour. “Why shouldn’t’the Government do it?’’ asked members of tho deputation. . Sir William Herries stated that their request would receive every consideration.