SUSPENDED CONTRACT

Sun (Auckland), Volume I, Issue 144, 8 September 1927, Page 15

SUSPENDED CONTRACT

RELIEF FOR WORKERS SOUGHT WELLINGTON', Tuesday. (THE SUN'S Parliamentary Reporter.J The welfare of the workers at the Renown Coni Collieries, Waikato, is being watched by the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. 11. II Holland, who has tabled a question to the Minister of Mines, the lion. G. J. Anderson, asking that in view of the failure of the contractors for the rope-road there and the consequent loss of wages of the men, the Minister should legislate so that the wages of men on private contracts or sub-contracts should be mole adequately safeguarded. Mr. Holland asked further that certain mono vs belonging to the contractors and b’chl by the colliery owners be made available to meet the wages demands, and also 1 Oat work be provided for the men who had been thrown out of work. Tito Leader of the Opposition explained that on August 4 the contractors for the construction of the roperoad at the Renown Collieries suspended operations, throwing out of employment 70 men whose wages were then live weeks in arrear, the sum owing amounting to about .£2,000. Many of flic men were penniless and were unable to pay the local storekeepers who had persistently refused credit, causing great hardship and distress. The colliery owners were holding Cl 000 lodged as deposit money in addition to the percentage from progress payments, the total sum held by the colliery owners amounting to about 41 1,800.