Opinions Clash at Otahuhu Shops

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 564, 17 January 1929, Page 1

Opinions Clash at Otahuhu Shops

PROPER SANITATION ? EVIDENCE OF SUN CAMERA Have the Otahuhu railway workshops been equipped with proper •nd hygienic temporary sanitary arrangements? At a mid-day mass meeting on Tuesday the men claimed, in effect, that the arrangements were crude and unhealthy. These statements were denied yesterday by railway officials. It remains for the camera to add its contribution to the argument. When the meeting: was held on Tuesday, a Sun reporter and photographer were present. Several of the men were interviewed, and each declared emphatically that certain sanitary conditions were decidedly unpleasant, unhealthy and nauseating:.

4% Expressions such as “disgusting,” crude,” and “disgraceful” were used hy men interviewed independently, and a convenience beside the wall of one of the sheds was pointed to. It was simply a narrow area enclosed by a tarpaulin, which was held ih place with a wooden framework. On the scoria inside were short lengths '»£ piping. No proper drainage was visible. The men contended that this system ■"as quite unsuitable in hot weather. The other side of the storv was heard yesterday, when another Sun man was taken on a tour of inspection by railway officials. No tarpaulins were round the conveniences shown to him, and every precaution appeared to have been taken. The allegations 'of the men were denied. Eut on the occasion of the first i>'t. the Sun photographer had been ■usy ami whil© the officials were taktheir Wednesday tour with the Porters, a plate exposed a few minuies before the meeting on Tuesday was being developed at The Sun Office, me picture thus produced tells its tale ’ and supports, in at least one T,. 2 ce ’ t * le statement published on 1 uesday. “MISLEADING AND UNFAIR” file statements in last evening's f, un ’ stated to have been made bv Mr. fc "O'v and the workshops manager, Mr. m^K Son ’ are resented by the union members of the Shops Committees, fair ,,are m *®leacling and grossly un- ? a - s th ® representatives of the bran ches of the New Zealand , l< i a^s Trades’ Association and the > I&amaled Society of Railway Serants when interviewed this morning. «Phj ihanager is alleged to have said: ® mass meeting came as a shock con 7 • nevor at any time received any complaints about sanitary arrangehts from Shops Committees.’ w«»?;u he infor mation of the public imr A?" make clear that a meetSa, n ®: tlle committees at which Mr. SfniL n ,v presi ded was held a week rh .Christmas when the question wa^i lnSanitary condition at Otahuhu "p;,. scussed for a considerable time. fiLUtV?*® unanim "’' sl Y decided to Health Offlof a . mp f° n to set the rubu*hon« . ° ffice to aspect the Otahuhu Vv Us . KOon as possible.” leJert Pt ' on was als " taken to an at''■Ptheri k 2* ent thal no oasl> ot thf, 11,10 ever been reported from i the shoM. u is stated by the men that before , notifl ed about three weeks j ,hon, Christmas, shortly after the “Ops opened. !