DEPUTATION ANGRY

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 54, Issue 191, 26 May 1934, Page 3

DEPUTATION ANGRY

“TALKING TO A WALL.”

UNEMPLOYED MEET MINISTER. (Special to the “ Guardian.”) AUCKLAND, May 25.. Bitter complaints that Ministerial deputations were Qilbertian farces and like talking to a wall, were voiced by member# of the Unemployed uorkeis Movement who, late this afternoon, interviewed the Minister of Employment (the Hon. A. Hamilton). . . The deputation was not included in the Minister’s engagements, but was received on an undertaking being given by Mr A. J. Stallworthy, M.P-( that the proceedings would not last for more than half an hour. In accordance with the arrangement Mr ptaiiwortliy frequently had to remind the speakers of the time limit, and toward the end of the deputation his checking was resented. “I am going to have my say, Mr Stall worthy. Don’t make any mistake about that,” one'woman said. “We put you men into Parliament and we want to see that you do your job. I once saved Mr Stallworthy from being hit Thumping the table, she accused the Minister of smiling at her, and m a general denunciation of the Government and its unemployment policy she said that the sooner women got into ’Parliament- and “outed” the present personnel the better it would be. Under the present system children were being allowed to die of starvation. • A Pathetic Story. A pathetic story was told by a quietly - spoken, neatly - dressed young married woman, who produced a paicel of flimsy cotton underclothing to impress on the Minister that neither she nor her children were adequately clad for the winter. There were fourchildren, of whom the youngest was a baby in arms. She pointed out that no provision could be made for rent out of weekly sustenance of 25s 6d. “All deputations are the same. 1 oil might just as well talk to a wall, came a shout from the body of the deputation! when one of the speakers accused the Minister of not listening. The Minister: I was merely obtaining information, concerning one of your questions. Another voice: Yes, we must bo ieSP Another spokesman, when reminded that the deputation’s time was expiring, said the Minister could listen for three hours yesterday to a deputation which was not entirely representative of the unemployed, but now be wanted to close his ears.. , . The Minister said that m orcier to increase the deputation’s opportunity to state its -case he would give a urit ten reply to the representationsIt was immediately suggested that this should be done at a meeting at the Town Hall to-morrow. Would Not Get Hearing. The Minister said he could not agree. He would not get a hearing there. Mr A Dreenan said a hearing couid he guaranteed if the Minister had something acceptable to the ears ox the workers. The trouble was that the grievances of the men were not taken

Ul Mr Stallworthy stated that the Minister would give his answer in writing. He. had been told by a deputatiomst that he had wasted time by mterP “Let the Minister answer, not you. You are interfering,” said a member of the deputation. . Another man said: “Mr Stallworthy, do they all talk the same way m the House as you do? No wonder they get nowhere.” , Mr Dreenan charged the Minister with not understanding the unemployment situation, and said he would, mo appreciate it until the unemployed assembled in the streets He declared that the deputation had been a hypo crisy and a farce.