CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LII, Issue 21, 18 February 1909, Page 2

CO-OPERATIVE WORKERS

,«» DEPARTJIEXTAL ENQUIRY INTO THEIR COAIPLAINTS. By Telegraph.—Press Association. ChristVhureh, Last Night. Air. 11. J. 11. Blow, Under-Secretory for Public Works, held an enquiry at Domett yesterday into the complaints mud* by the co-operative workers on tho rail'way construe lion works. It was 'explained to the men that the first supposed delay in the payment of wages was due to the fact that men were constantly arriving on the works alter' October tith, ami it was thought that it would be ipiite a fair tiling to pay on the day which was selected. The second (May was- due to the holiday seasou intervening. These special circumstances have been removed, there should be no irregularity in future. In regard to the holidays, it was stated tluit the engineer had made a mistakt when he ruled that a ten days' holiday 1 w«* compulsory. If the men had telegraphed to ,Wellington they would have been informed that they could work : if they ohose lo do so. The Department i wa-> agreeable to provide all the sani- ' lary conveniences necessary to secure ' decency and a>lso to funii-h firewood and . coal at cost price. In regard to the re-

quest for limber for the lloor» of I ems, Mm married men were informed tint this would be done when there were women, or children in the tents. They were warned not to burn the timber so provided. The system of payment was discussed, but on this point the department was obdurate. The .Minister had previously informed the men specifically that the liit'es would not be raised, and that they compared well with the rates paid in other parts of the Dominion. Mr. Blow, however, undertook to visit several of the cuttings and see the sort of material which was being lifted. The dismissal of 11. Campbell, one of the workmen who had taken an active part in the labor trouble, was referred to, but Air. Blow absolutely refused to discuss the causes which led to it. If Air. Campbell had been present at the enquiry, the matter could have been discussed. There was a. disposition on the part of the; men to drag the subject in "by the heels," but Air. Blow checked this by informing those who "wanted information" that they could "keep on wanting it."