MINISTER ANGRY

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 921, 14 March 1930, Page 11

MINISTER ANGRY

HEATED EXCHANGE WITH WORKERS’ SECRETARY PUBLIC WORKS CONDITIONS Press Association WELLINGTON, Thursday. A deputation from the workers of tlie Tawa Plat railway tunnel and deviation waited on the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. E. A. Ransom, today. During the proceedings Mr. Ransom took exception to the statements being made by Mr. A. Cook, secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union in referring to his administration. The Minister said he could get on with the workers very well, but could not. get on with Mr. Cook. He Quoted statements which had appeared in the Press in which reference had been made to massacres on public works and asked Mr. Cook if he was proud of it. Mr. Cook: What is wrong with it? Mr. Ransom (throwing the papers aside): Disgusting! Mr. Cook: I am surprised you are so thin-skinned. We know what the conditions are on the public works. Mr. Ransom: You will be doing good service if you remedy them. Mr. Cook: We have given you a fair go since you have been Minister of Public Works.

Mr. Ransom: Well, I am not going to sit down and take this silently. Mr. Cook: You have got the newspapers to reply through. They are wider open to you than to me. Mr. Ransom: Oh, no, they are not.

Mr. Cook: If I have ever said anything that has not been correct I have apologised and I will do it again. Mr. Ransom: I will be interested when you do that.

Mr. Ransom declined to grant a general increase of 20 per cent, on the ordinary rates, but promised to give consideration to special cases. He also said he would consider the question of providing accommodation for all the men, but pointed out that the department had already spent over a quarter of a million on houses without getting any return in rent. He promised to yisit the works and later to make a considered reply.