WHANGAMATA ROAD

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 73, 17 June 1927, Page 12

WHANGAMATA ROAD

ANSWER TO COMPLAINTS WORK FOR THE WORKLESS CONDITIONS DEFENDED A correspondent writes as follows : “The article in THE SUN on Tuesday, June 7, on “Work for the Work-less—Road-making at Whangamata," is in many respects misleading, in that the writer has been misinformed on certain points, firstly as to the objects of the road, and secondly as to the conditions. “With regard to the resentment by Mr. S. Brown, on whose complaint THE SUN'S article was based, it would seem that that gentleman is one of those persons who apparently expect first-class hotel conditions to exist in a camp. “The article was brought under the notice of Mr. Maclean, the local agent for the Public Works Department, and his reply is as follows: “ ‘lt is true that men have left Whangamata to attend the Auckland races. The conditions, according to soihe 25 Waihi men, are satisfactory. The food is good, and three hot gneals per day are supplied by the cookhouse contractor at 23s 6d per week. Men can, and have earned, on the cooperative system, something in excess of £1 a day. The conditions are excellent for genuine workers, and the engineer in charge of the works sees to it that a fair day’s work is done. The camp is ideally situated.

“ ‘I know of cases where men have arrived 'at the camp in the morning and departed the following afternoon, without giving the job a chance of being satisfactory or otherwise,” said Mr. Maclean. He also said that some men left without paying for their food, and had to be returned to the camp for the purpose. “THE SUN’S Waihi representative also approached a local man engaged on the works, and he was satisfied with the conditions and the mor.ey that he was making. * He had one objection, and this was that he was employed with a number of Auckland men who were incapable of handling a shovel. “The conclusion drawn after making inquiries is that your informant is one of those who cannot live outside a city. If he is a sample of the unemployed in Auckland, then a good deal of sympathy is being wasted. Another point is that the work is part of the Government scheme to .elieye unemployment, and Whangamata is no different from other places. The statement that blankets cannot be obtained is also incorrect. The kitchen contractor can supply blankets on condition that an order is given on the wages to defray the cost of same.”