SINGLE MEN'S CAMPS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 283, 30 November 1931, Page 8

SINGLE MEN'S CAMPS.

LABOUR CANDIDATES'S VIEWS

ADDRESS AT TAKAXINI.

• " Pitiable in the extreme" was the description applied to the unemployed single men's camps by Mr. J. H. Edwards, Independent Labour candidate for Franklin, during the course of an address to the electors at Takanir.i. Mr. McCallum, of Manurewa, presided.

"I have visited one of the- camps." said Mr. Edwards, "and the whole surroundings are pitiable in the extreme. The clotting of some of the men i; in a very bad Avay, and all the men are very dissatisfied. Some of them are receiving only 6/ for a full week's work. If Mr.. Coates, as Minister of Labour, does, not act. quickJy, these men will be walking. out. of. the camps. , '

- If- the- La-bour party were returned to power,--continued- the candidate, that would' l>e -one' of the ■ first tasks they would undertake, and they would alter conditions" considerablr. \"

Outlining Labour's policy, Mr. Edwards said that if the party were returned they would establish a State bank, raise an internal loan, and would spend a certain amount of the money in -assisting the dairy farmer. They' would also improve the lot of the single men in camps especially, and that of the relief worker generally.

At the conclusion of his address.'Mr. Edwards • answered a number of questions; and'was accorded an enthusiastic vote x>i thanks and confidence. ■