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Putaruru Press, Volume VII, Issue 274, 7 February 1929, Page 3

[ An attempt is being made to force the Government to carry out all public works undertakings on the cooperative contract system. The deputation from the New Zealand Workers’ Union which waited on the Prime Minister last week was quite emphatic as to the desirableness of abolishing private contracts, and Sir Joseph Ward appeared inclined to lend a sympathetic ear to the Union’s spokesmen. At the same time he very properly pointed out that in the large railway works which he proposed to put in hand it was essential that the work should be pushed forward as rapidly as possible in order to enable the railways to earn money to meet the interest charges. There cannot be any doubt that there are occasions when tjie private contract system is preferable to the co-opera-tive contract system. It is the practice of the labour unions to contend that the work is done cheaper under the co-operative system, but this is mere assertion. As a matter of fact it is very doubtful if the full charges —departmental, overhead and otherwise—are ever brought into account in connection with works carried out under the co-operative method. The work, moreover, is seldom pushed through with the same expedition, and the capital cost is in consequence swelled by interest charges owing to the longer period during which the undertaking is earning nothing. The claim is made that the workers are more satisfied on co-operative contracts than on private contracts. This may be the case, but if it is so it is rather curious that the deputation should spend so much time com- . plaining of the unfair treatment sc- ' corded workmen on Co-operative con- ' tracts.