PAY ON PUBLIC WORKS.

Taranaki Daily News, 11 May 1920, Page 5

PAY ON PUBLIC WORKS.

BETTER CONDITIONS ASKED FOR

DEPUTATION TO THE MINISTER. By Telegraph —Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. Q. Coates) to-day received a deputation representing Public Works employees throughout the Dominion, headed by Mr- A. Cook, president of the New Zealand Workers' Union. Mr. Cook asked for an assurance against victimisation. The workers' claims included 18s a day, or if the Government provided dry canteens, or parried commodities free on the railways from the four centres and distributed them in the camps, 'lßs per day. Tunnel workers claimed £1 a day, vt under the ahove-mentioned conditions, 17s a day. The hours of work should be 44 per week, with an eight-hour day, and six hours paid as eight in wet places- Claims were also made for the establishment of dry canteens for the sale of commodities at Board of Trade wholesale prices; and of firewood and fuel depots, cook houses, and hutments, with T and G floors. For married men special hutments were demanded, with a cooking range, bath and wash-houses, and sanitary requirements, baths and drying rooms, as at Huarau. The Minister gave an assurance that there would be no victimisation. He asked the deputation to meet him again later in the afternoon, as he said he wished to have time to thoroughly consider matters relating to a progressive policy of public works, which, he realised, could only he carried out with the co-operation of the employees. At the evening session of the public works interview, the Minister said that the conditions for workers would have to be improved. He realised this fully. His whole aim and object would be to give the Union conditions which would make the workers reasonably content. He asked that the committee should meet him the following morning to discuss details.