MANGAHAO GRIEVANCES.

Shannon News, 24 June 1921, Page 2

MANGAHAO GRIEVANCES.

DEPUTATION TO MINISTER FOR PUBLIC WORKS. A deputation representing public works employees throughout New Zealand interviewed the Minister of Public Works (Hon. J. G. Coates) on Wednesday, in order to ventilate some grievances and make certain requests. The chief engineer of - the Public Works Department (Mr F. W. Furkerl) was present. The deputation was’headed by Mr R. Co.A, assistant secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union. The question of paying men on relief works less than the standard wage was first discussed. After the Otira and Southland representatives had spoken, Mr T. P. Robertson referred to housing accommodation at Mangahao He thought it unfair to build a hall for recreation purposes while married men with families had to live in tents. ’ Mr Coates: Are there many married men there who have not got modation?Mr Robertson: There are lour at the present time. Mr Coates: I take it that huts are under construction. Mr Robertson: ‘‘Yes, sir. The huts were under construction, but they were stopped while timber was. provided for this hall.” The powerhouse camp consisted .entirely of tents. Married men had refused to take their families there, and as they were living in Shannon they asked lor travelling time/ Mr J. Thom (Mangahao) said that the men who lived in Shannon had to pay rent and so suffered an additional disadvantage. He expressed general approval of the accommodation that had been provided by the Department at Mangahao, but complained that the new tents were of interior quality. He thought they were made of cheese-cloth. The baths and other conveniences supplied by the Department were excellent, but there ought to be a tent for each man. Mr J. B. Williams (northern construction works) spoke of grievances on northern works. Dealing with points raised relating to Mangahao, the Minister said that he wanted to provide decent accommodation for all the men on public works. Great improvements had been effected, but it had not yet been possible to provide huts in all cases. The question of cost did not enter into the matter largely, since the huts in the long ruri would not cost much more than the tents. The improvement of the accommodation would continue. The expenditure on housing at Mangahao had amounted to between £20,000 and £25,000. If he had made a mistake in assisting in the erection of a Y.M.C.A. hall for social purposes at Mangahao before all the huts were completed, then he must take the responsibility. But he did not think that he had made a mistake in view of the importance of giving the men some means of social Jife and enjoyment. A member of the deputation: You made no mistake. Mr Cook thanked the Minister. He said that the public work%, employees had always received courtesy from Mr Coates, and they wished to maintain the good understanding that had existed in the past.