COUNCIL EMPLOYMENT.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 4, Issue 99, 22 October 1915, Page 3

COUNCIL EMPLOYMENT.

Married or Single Men ? At the.meeting ot the Pukekohe Borough Council held on Wednesday, C Barter stat.'d that, at the request of the Foreman of Works (Mr Clews), he desired to refer "to rumours afloat that married men were being dismissed from the Council'b employ and single men retained. Cr Hubbard said that two married men and four single men formed the Council's staff of workers. One of the single men kept his mother and the younger members of his family, and waa consequently deserving of every consideration ; one had defective eyesight and would not be accepted for service in tie war; and another had proved his worth by the skilful manner in which ha looked after the Council's horses. None of them were new men. He was not aware that any married men were seeking employment, and be failed to see why tbey should discharge good men for other men that might not be forthcoming. If the •Council was engaging extra labour he would certainly favour preference being given to married men. Mr Clews stated that he had acted as Overseer for thirteen years, and had always followed the couree of retaining men it they were found satisfactory and when labour waa lessened his rule had been that the last engaged should be tbe first put off. Since dispensing with tbe services in that way of some married men there had been no occasion to engage any labour. Mr Clews concluded by saying that in the event of any of the single men enlisting their places would be filled by married men. Cr Barter remarked that it was easy for the irresponsible "street corner man" to find fault • and to criticise methods adopted by the Council, but he was perfectly satisfied with the actions of Mr Clew*. At the same time he would like to see the single men employed by the Council offering themselves for service at the front Cr , Koadley stated that he thoroughly believed in preference being given to married men, bu». nevertheless they should be very careful in interfering with their responsible officials. d Cr Motion atated that from personal observation be could testify to the capabilities of their present staff, but 'if vacancies arose he believed . in preference being given to married meo. The subject then dropped.