County Supervision.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 96, 16 April 1914, Page 5

County Supervision.

THE CONTROL OF LABOR.

MATTER FURTHER DISCUSSED.

The question of supervision of employees was further discussed at yesterday’s meeting of the County Council, though the proceedings were on a much less sensational scale than at the March meeting. [ When tiie chairman proposed to open the applications for the position [of foreman in the East Riding Cr. Walter rose and said that before the business was gone on with the East Riding members would like to know what system the Council intended to follow in the matter of control of labour. He doubted if the Council would dare to continue the present system.

The Chairman said the Engineer had refused to reconsider his resignation. He (the speaker) could not say how the Engineer looked on the proposal to act as consulting engineer nor could he say how the Council looked on the matter. Personally he thought an inspector or overseer should be appoined, but he £ould not say how the Council felt on the question. Ho had given the question careful consideration and was convinced that if an overseer for the whole County was appointed it would he necessary to provide some vehicle for him. An overseer could never go over tlie County’s 200 mires of roads on horseback. Cr. Walter said that if an overseer for the whole County was appointed it was absolutely useless to appoint another.foreman for the East Riding. A man on a motor cycle could get over the whole County in ranch about the same time as a man on horseback oculd over the East Riding. He would be agreeable to appoint a man to the Toko end of the East Riding provided he had preference if it was decided to appoint a foreman over the whole Riding. The East Riding members were sincerely desirous of working in harmony with the rest of the Council. Cr. Thomson said the Imsiness before the meeting was the consideration of applications. Cr. Walter’s remarks were a side issue, brought in to upset the arrangement from which they had run away by resigning. The new arrangement was made to help the East Riding. Cr. Walter: The East Riding did not think so. Cr. Smith said he was sorry that Cr. Thomson had brought up the question of the difference between members. The East Riding members had been fighting for a principle and he had supported them. If the same position arose again, with the same Councillors or others, ho would take similar action. No doubt the 'Engineer submitted his recommendation in good faith, but it was ill-advised. The applications should be held over till the future policy of the Council was defined.

Cr. Christoffel deprecated the Council breaking into factions on any question. The Engineer had brought down a recommendation which he thought was in the best interests of the County—he thought there were too many foremen in the East Riding and too many men employed under them. It now behoved the Council to come to some amicable arrangement on the matter. Cr. Smith moved that the whole question of supervision be held over till next meeting. Cr. Anderson seconded. Cr. Smith said the best vehicle to provide .for the County overseer would be a small motor car. Cr. Thomson thought that the resolution passed at last meeting should be carried out.

Cr. Christoffel said that when the resolution was passed the Council did not know that the Engineer intended to resign. He thought there was no good reason why the applications should he held over. Cr. Thomson called for a division, but Ins was the only “No” recorded. The chairman said the East Riding men had received notice of dismissal, the notice expiring on Saturday next. Cr. Were thought there would be no difficulty in getting the men to stay on for a further month. Cr. Anderson: With a chance of being kept on for good. In reply to Cr. Were the Engineer said he thought some of the men would stay, i Cr. Walter moved that the permanent men be requested to continue working for another month. There was no complaint against the men as workmen, and no doubt they thought that when a new policy was decided on they would fie re-employed. The Engineer said be thought it was necessary to keep the men on the roads. The motion was seconded bv Cr. Were and carried, Cr. Thomson dissenting.