MANGAHAO STRIKE.

Shannon News, 14 February 1922, Page 2

MANGAHAO STRIKE.

MINISTER HOPES FOR A SETTLE MENT.

The strike at the Mangahao power works was mentioned in the House ot Representatives * by Mr E. Newman (Manawatu), who asked wmt steps the Minister of Public Works was taking to secure the resumption ot work. The Hon. J. C. Coates replied mat there was a temporary disagreeincn: between the tunneliers and. the Department with regard to the reduction of wages throughout the State Departments. The outside men were sun at work, andj he hoped that would continue. The tunnel men had stopped. He hoped that reason would prevail with them. If they started work again he was willing to> listen to their side of the case. If they did not start, he was going to take some other action He did not want to do> that. The Minister mentioned that at ia pay the men nnow on strike iiad •>. ceived from 32/ to 38/ per day. These were net wages, after allowance had been “made for explosives. The - oiusicle men had been reduced from i. to 14 j per day, and the tunneliers were to be reduced in proportion. Mr P. Fraser ‘(Wellington Central, asked if it was a fact that a reduction had been made in the payments to the co-operative parties, although these parties were working under contract.

The Minister replied that ordinary co-operative contracts were let by me month. The January contracts bad not been affected by the reduction, iho February contracts were affected. Some of the gangs were working on large contracts, a price having been fixed for a complete job. These contracts was being reduced at the rate The price paid under the monthly eontracas was being reduced at the rate of 1/ per day per man.