The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1892. CO-OPERATIVE LABOR.

Temuka Leader, Issue 2403, 24 September 1892, Page 2

The Temuka Leader. SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1892. CO-OPERATIVE LABOR.

The Co-operative Labor system instituted by the Honorable B. J. Seddon has had its critics and its enemies, but as it is becoming better known it is making friends An Auckland gentleman, who is 'described as a prominent merchant, inspected works carried on on principle in the King Country, and tJlfl his observation, is embodied in the foilofr>\-'$ 13 -‘ A O , he has sent to the Minister 0* BUi. iC Works: — “ Having been up the King Country fol f a holiday trip, I hasten to let you know how the co-operative works on the line of railway in course of construction are going on as, viewed by me. In the first place I have to say that I never saw a finer body of men than those working on the line at present. They are living a free life, are their ownbosses,” and, thanks to your beneficent scheme, they are happy and contented, and, favored with anytning like fair weather, they make good wages, but on the other hand the work is splendidly done. Every gang of men seems to be in competition one with another as to which will do the work in the most creditable manner. The works finished look like a picture. It is to be hoped you will continue the scheme. From what I have seen while camping with the men there must a great saving to the country.” This evidence from an intelligent observer of the working of the system is more than borne out by a statement just received by the Minister for Public Works through Mr Pinkerton from some of the three hundred working men of Otago. The statement reads as follows : “ We, the undersigned, respectfully solicit the ccntia nance of the co-operatize system, firmly believing in the soundness of such system, and that, therefore, it is the best system under which we working- men of t he Colony can labor, and furthermore, fcfaphntically deny, the statements of contractors' ifelogates as set forth in the Otago Wiia'* iBa ‘*’ , ... , Prom these +, WO BlatotoSfits it will be seen that the men are" B otrs(j.ed, &a,d that the work is done as an< * as we “ j as it could be done under the detract | system. We have in addition the testimony ' of the Engineer-in-Chief, and therefore we may rest perfectly certain the system is working well.