RAILWAY DISMISSALS

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 868, 11 January 1930, Page 13

RAILWAY DISMISSALS

ANOTHER 70 LEAVE OTAHUHU WORKSHOPS LABOUR MEMBERS PROTEST When work ceased at the Otahuliu railway workshops at 11.30 this morning:, 70 men, who yesterday received j notice of dismissal following: receipt ! of a communication from the head office, Wellington, were paid off. In-. eluded in the batch were four engin- j eers, the balance being carpenters. \ painters and labourers. The dismissals today make a total j of 177. who have been put off from the j Otahuhu workshops since Christmas I Eve, when 107 were given their j “walking ticket.” While it is announced that shortage of work is the reason for reducing the staff, it is authoritatively learned that j the principal reason is lack of funds. The men dismissed state that there is a fair amount of work to be done, and there is no shortage of material. On learning at 6 o’clock last evening, that notice had been given the men, Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P., dispatched the following wire to the Hon. G. W. Forbes: ‘The Government has made definite promises that work would be available, Mr. Jordan said, and the Minister of Public Works stated during last session that, it was the intention of the Government to solve the unemployment problem by offering employment ol a permanent character. I suggest that the Government should make a full statement of the present position and its intentions for the future. We do not desire to complain, but the welfare of the people must b© considered. If the Cabinet is facing a financial crisis or is unable to deal with the unemployment position I suggest that Parliament should be immediately summoned. I am of the opinion that the employment of the people is more important than a favourable Budget balance. ‘Previous communications have promised that men thrown out of employment "would be considered, but today’s action has caused concern as the others previously discharged -have not been offered fresh employment. This action was supported today by Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., who telegraphed the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, in the following terns: I have to thank you for your telegram of January 8 advising of your intention to inquire into the position of unemployed, in Auckland with a view to giving some relief. I regret to say, however, that men are still being discharged from Otahuhu workshops. Seventy men have to leave today. That is only a fraction of the number of engineers already out of work. I will be glad to have your assurance that immediate steps will be taken to deal with the position.