GALATEA

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 226, 18 May 1932, Page 6

GALATEA

(Continned) ceived less pay per acre than tho k working the machines did over thv. same class of scrub. Investigation fails to substantiatc this contention. Actually the mcn working by hand s'ecured a slightiy better return than the men with the machines. The hand workers were paid according to a sliding scale graduated in accordance with the particular class of scrub with which thcy were dealing, while the machines worked 011 a flat rate of 11/6 an acre. The machines could not be used on heavy scrub, and when this was encountered, the machine owners were forced to employ hand labour. The general average of returns to the men working by hand was slightiy higher than those earned by the other workers, without making any allowance for depreciation upon the machines. The writer also referred to alleged extravagant waste of public money and said that he had himself seen an empty lorry paid 6/6 an hour to carry two holts a distanee of 20 miles. In this connection it is stated ' that on some occasions a lorry was used in this way to carry essential parts, the absence of which was seriously interfering with the progress of different works. Tlie cost, had the parts not been transported, would have heen infinitely greater than the actual amount incurred for their carriage. The writer, who apparently had some practical knowledge of work . upon the estate, concluded hy observing that at present there were only four Public Works Department men and two Lands Department employ-ef-s in addition to the manager and sh'epherds, upon the estate, and thaJ in the meantime ragwort was being allowed to invade the rich riverfla land while 'the Rangitaiki River wa: being allowed to eat away its banks These last two statements are cor ' rect, and only go further to suppor: the contention made in these column that Ihe nett result of the preserr Government nolicy in regard to th. , estate will be an altogether indefer j sible wantage of public money an-"' ■ the loss of an outstanding opportur ■{ ity to put the much vaunted land set J tlement policy into practice.