"SUMMIT" RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 5, Issue 1487, 19 September 1883, Page 2

"SUMMIT" RAILWAY EMPLOYEES.

(From Hansard,) 1 Mr Levaatam asked the Minister for Public Works, If he is aware that some of the railway employees on the Watmapa line are housed ai and near the " Summit" in such a manner as to outrage public decency 1 If he inquire into the matter, «nd get it remedied as speedily m possible 1 He was induced ts put this qmeattoa ia consequence of what he saw when e@ a trip to the Wairaraps lately. At the " Summit" he saw & hoase ibcmt large enough for a doll's house, arid !i« was particularly struck 'with '.the idniijr' ber of people crowded together tkamHe got out of tH© train, and enquiries. He found near the'"SkW mit" one small house or whaxe, sosaswhere about 10ft by 20 feet, inhabited; by & man, hia wife, % growa.-ap daughter, a boy fifteen' yssp* did, ;smdf

several smaller children. In this whare there was only one room. H# believed the people themselves, hmd stretched canvass across, „ Ja another house at the " Summit" there': was '» man with bis wife and five children and a woman in an advanced stag® of pregnancy.'' -This' 'wits' only against decency, but allirsM for the preservation, of health.- He thought it his duty to bring this matter before the House. 'lf was obligatory on the part of thefts? man to" reside there, because there was no other place, where they could live, as they were obliged to go the line at that point the train passed to m$ that there was no obstruction. It would be impossible for these people to build places of tfaeirown, even if they had the means, as there was no certainty that they would be employed there for any length or time. Ifc was necessary that these men should lire at this spot, sad, as the Government wan supposed to find houses foe-them, he thought the Government should give them Something like disenfc house accommodation.

Mr "W. W., ffohaston said he foand that there.were two platslaws' cottages at this place, each two rooms. ■. ;As very fmqaejsl; happened ia* SimiHea,. these mIS families had the wuowngAii? tion provided.' One &a# had four children, and the other &£& aud he orders for additional fc%nmodation .v to- <dte afforded. ■ He-Wight mf ftst this ® tho case with E asonsMer&ble aaiaberof i platelayers' jgftagaa throaghoat the' the colony, mltffo would giv«i ißstrsfe tsons to nwfeitlie. necessities of |p ' v&nous cases. 4 P.. ' -s^^