OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

Wairarapa Times-Age, 21 December 1942, Page 4

OTHER PEOPLE’S IDEAS

EARTHQUAKE REPAIRS (To the Editor.) Sir, —I feel bound to add my contribution to letters which have already appeared in your paper in connection with accounts rendered for earthquake chimney repairs. I have seen an account for approximately £42 for re-erecting .one chimney (using the old bricks). Mr Jordan, our worthy Mayor, advises the poor victim to pay up and think no more about it. Splendid advice from a lawyer . What will be the position if these fantastic claims are defended in a court of law? ... A calamity

visits the Wairarapa and one section of the community the bricklayers, de- ' cide to fleece those unfortunates who have to have their chimneys repaired as quickly as possible on account of cooking arrangements, backed up by the Government and the local bodies. A great community spirit! Perhaps this is the new order of things spoken so much about these days. One would have thought that those persons repairing the chimneys would have been only too pleased to do the work at a reasonable rate of pay instead of taking advantage of the position. Mr Ma-or, I think you are under a misapprehension if you consider the victims are "oing to take your advice and pay what is demanded in those cases of excessive charge. It is not done in any other walk of life —why should it be done in a case of calamity? Again Mr Mayor, you are in some doubt as to who will pay any deficiency over and above a reasonable charge for work performed. As the Government is responsible for the excessive rate of wages, and the victims are only to be called unon to pay a reasonable amount for the work performed, let the Government pay the deficiency—that is, in short, the taxpayer. Anyway, what about the earthquake work performed by the soldiers at soldiers' rate of pay? The local bodies were ready enough to accept these services and I believe some of these soldiers were also engaged in repairing chimneys. If this is so, are their services bein< T charged for at the rate of 4s lOd per hour? —I am, etc., ONE WHO WILL NOT PAY. Masterton, December 18. A SUGGESTED DEDUCTION (To the Editor) Sir,—l understand the Governmentstipulated that all tradesmen had to be paid full overtime rates worked on the earthquake repairs. Also all men coming to the district from outside had to be paid their board and lodgings, paid from the time they left their home town and returned to it and their travelling expenses each way. Can you wonder that the costs are high? Most of us could not afford to wait to get repairs done, as our homes were open to the sky and heavy rain would only increase our expenses, besides having no roof over our head. We really had no option but to get on with the job. Another hard jolt we are to receive is the fact that we shall pay Social Security and income tax on these expenses. I would suggest that we ask the Government to pay us 10 per. cent of the cost, that is £2OOO to be deducted from each account in proportion of the amount of the account. I feel sure if. the Government had , said overtime pay would not be charg- , ed for earthquake damage the men ’ would have done the work quite wil- i lingly at ordinary rates of pay—l < am, etc., ANOTHER UNFORTUNATE. * Masterton, December 18. I

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