UNEMPLOYMENT LEVY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 96, 24 April 1931, Page 12

UNEMPLOYMENT LEVY.

PROTEST BY WATERSIDERS. DEPUTATION TO MINISTER. "WILL TRY AND HELP THEM." (By Telegraph.—Own Correspcndent.) ; WELLINGTON, Thursday. Speaking to-day as a member of a deputation to the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, on the subject of the collection of the unemployment levy j from waterside workers, Mr. L. Glover, j president of the union, eaid the water- j siders had paid about £2200 in levies 1 each quarter, and they were entitled to benefits if out of work. If thev did not get any benefits they should be exempt from the levy. It seemed that the Government was taking the levy under false pretences. ' Later Mr. Glover eaid the Act had j stopped the employment and dragged down the wages of workers until they found it impossible to exist. What they wanted was something on the lines of the Queensland system, which was an unemployment insurance. ; Mr. J. Roberts, secretary of the j Alliance of Labour, said the watersider under the Act did not get employment and did not get sustenance. The men were so incensed because they were not getting the benefits due to them under the Act, that they were continually risking union officials to give them a lead by not paying the levy. Owing to the reduction in the volume of trade it was more j

difficult than ever to obtain work co the wharf, and the position of many of thp men was,desperate. i The Minister said finally that he had always been sympathetic with the -Z on the wharf, and he would trv to h»in them. When the board reassembled ™ Tuesday he would place their repre sentations beroTe it and see if sometl,lnncould not be done. roetinng