LAKE COLERIDGE WORKS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 315, 3 July 1912, Page 5

LAKE COLERIDGE WORKS

THE CONTRACTOR'S REPUDIATION. By Telegraph—Press Association. Christchurch, Last Night. The statements published locally reflecting in a serious manner on the conditions of employment at the Lake Coleridge works in connection with the hydro-electric installation, are denied by the contractor, Mr. J. McWilliams, who states that there is no dissatisfaction amongst the men on the works, and that the allegation of bad conditions is absolutely untrue. Ryan was only working at Lake Coleridge for three days and then left, while Elliott left in consequence of some disagreement. As far as their statements were concerned, Mr. McWilliams gave them an emphatic denial, "I challenge anyone to go up to the works and examine the conditions," he said. "I don't care who he is." Mr. McWilliams said that very few men had left him at the works, and he was satisfied that enquiry among the men themselves would show that the conditions were good. The men lived in free cottages, and were charged only 18s for their food. The food was good, and he thought that the men never got better food in their lives before. There had been one or two shortages, but that was inseparable from a large camp far away from a base of supplies. The wages were good, the men in the shaft earning 13s per day. In large gatherings of men there were always some who were never satisfied, and who made trouble unless everything was made to suit them, It was a pity that these sort of men got the ear of the newspapers.