CARPENTERS' UNION.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVII, Issue 2503, 17 May 1909, Page 4

CARPENTERS' UNION.

DEPUTATION TO HON. JAMES

CARROLL

At the close of t-he deputation from tho East Coast Trades and Labor Council to the Minister for PublicWorks, a small deputation waited on the Hon. Jas. Carroll with a view to correcting alleged misstatements that had been made by the master builders’ deputation to him a few days ago. It was claimed that the statement’unade that fines inflicted for breaches of the. preference clause in the award went to the funds of the union, was absolutely false. The deputation also urged the retention ofi tho preference clause- in the award, which the master builders wished to have deleted. Mention was also made of the matter of Government contracts which the master builders had brought under his notice, apd Mr. J. Scott said that in his experience he found that nothing but first-class timber was ever used for Government woi'ka. .

In reply the Hon. Jas. Carroll said that- the day after the deputation ot master builders had waited on him, Mr Oarmody, Inspector of Awards, had shown "him the section of the Act under which it was compulsory that the fine,a inflicted should not go to the funds of the union, but were paid into the public account. He said at the time, and he then repeated that in his opinion Mr. Carmody was a most efficient officer. He had refused to discuss with the . master builders the propriety of the law or the preference clause. Oil the question of Government contracts, the Hon. R. McKenzie, who was present, asked leave to reply. He said J that be would very much like to know ! why the deputation of master builders had not come to him instead of the lion. .1. s. Carroll. He would assure his hearers that, if the deputation had come to him he would "very soon have put them in their places.” The master builders had reiorred the cost of tendering for Government contract?, A VK I had wanted a small sum given to them if their tender was not accepted. They had also stated that after the tenders had Won received, tho Government would decide to do the work by day labor at a cheaper price, owing to the fact that they would use. very inferior timber to that specified for. This he characterised as “Utter nonsense,” and said that nothing hut first-class timber was put into Government works where it was specified. On the question of tendering, ho would, like to cay that there wax no compulsion on the builders to tender; they were perfectly free to do -so or not as they wished. He was, however, sure that they would not tender unless they tie ught thov, con’d make something out ;,v the -Government. Having thanked the Ministers for their replies, the deputation withdrew.