A PARTING SHOT.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LV, Issue 231, 18 February 1913, Page 3

A PARTING SHOT.

A DEPARTING FOREMAN'S OPINION. One of the foremen of the Egmont County Council, who has been in the employ of that local body since its inception in 1003, resigned his position last month, which resignation was duly accepted, and in his final report to the Council on Friday made some remarks which councillors naturally took umbrage at, as being outside the scope of a foreman's report. "I would like," he said, "to call attention to the suicidal policy pursued by the Council in trying to get good results from cheap labor. Statements have frequently been made at the Council table that the Council were not getting value for their money. Quite correct; but did any employer ever get good value from cheap labor. The contractors in this district this season have been paying wages on a grade from ten to twelve, and, in some instances, to fourteen shillings per day for labor, and the Council shot their bolt at 9s even for their riding foremen, who were responsible for the whole of their works. We cannot by any stretch of imagination suppose that contractors are philanthropists. Their business is to get out of their men the maximum amount of work at the minimum cost; therefore they employ good men and pay them what they are worth. They pay the money out of their own pockets, but the Council pay out of the pockets of the ratepayers. who have to suffer for their conservative policy of cheap labor. This Council certainly have a number of good men in their employ, but what can they expect from them, with the treatment they get—paid a starvation wage, disparaged and depreciated at every opportunity. and the councillors squealing about not getting value for their money? Can the best results be obtained under such conditions ?"

During the reading of the diatribe. Cr. Maxwell objected strongly to its being read. It was not a report, nor was it. written in the ton?, that a servant should u«e, and should not be received or even read. He moved to this effect. Cr. Harvey seconding.

Oilier members, with the exception of O. Burgess, wished to hear the letter read, and the motion was lost. Cr. Hirst considered that the wages question in the remarks was certainly based on facts.

CY. Burgess pointed out that the contractors paid big wages for a short time during fine weather, whereas the Council paid fls, wet or dry. Cr. Farquhar considered they were paying full value. Cr. Davy considered that the remarks were regrettable, especially from such an old employee. Wages were regulated by the. law of supply and demand, and if a foreman were not satisfied he knew what to do. The matter then dropped.