UNEMPLOYED RELIEF

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 208, 15 June 1933, Page 6

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF

ACTIVITIES IN ASHBURTON.

ALLOTMENT OF GARDEN PLOTS. MEN DISAGREE WITH STATEMENT I The Ashburton Local Unemployment Committee met this afternoon, when the Mayor (Mr W. H. Woods) presided. The Ashburton Relief Workers' Union wrote that Mr H. A. Knight had been appointed as its representative on the Committee in place of Mr W. J. Dalley. With regard to the Board's decision that relief workers must grow vegetables before they could be given work, the Union stated that it agreed with this in principle, but pointed out that many of the relief workers were renting homes and they were liable to be put out of these homes. In that event, the work put into gardens would be lost to the worker. The purchase of seeds was another problem that might not appear to the ordinary man to be a difficult one, but was a serious one for the relief worker. Assistance in the purchase of seeds would be appreciated by the men. The. Union referred' to a statement made at the previous meeting of the Committee to the effect that though plots of land were allotted to relief workers none were taken up, and stated that it should be made known that these plots were located on Mona Square, and that they were later withdrawn and placed under the supervision of the Hospital Board. The chairman said that several sections were made available for relief (Workers to grow, vegetables and they were ploughed for the men. There were 30 or 40 plots allotted, but only a small proportion of them were taken up. Mr A. Prentice said that only four or five men took up the plots and no work was done on these pieces of land. It was decided to ascertain the actual figures in this- connection and to have them published. The appointment of Mis Knight as the Union's representative on the Committee was approved. It was pointed out that not all the relief workers were members of the Union and that the Union's appointee did not represent all the workers. (Proceeding).