M.P.'S PROTEST.

Auckland Star, Issue 17, 21 January 1932, Page 9

M.P.'S PROTEST.

RELIEF FOR UNEMPLOYED

"SQUEEZING"' BY GOVERNMENT

DISCUSSION AT MEETING.

At a meeting of Auckland Labour members yesterday in the Trades Hall, at which * Mr. Walter Nash, M.P. for Hutt, was present, strong exception was taken to what the members considered was an attempt on the part of the Government and Chamber of Commerce to further reduce the relief given to the unemployed by the Hospital Board. In a statement to a 'Star" representative this morning, Mr. W. E. Parry, M.P. for Auckland Central, who presided at the meeting, gave a brief summary of the discussion. "In the first place," he said, "the Unemployed Act was passed embodying provision for sustenance in lieu of no work, and a scale of wages for married and single men was set out, together with provision for children. But to understand what the Government's intentions really were will be readily gathered from the fact that Mr. Coatcs moved that there be no payments without work. Fortunately, this was defeated." Mr. Parry said that when Mr. Forbes returned from England lie declared that the dole would not be paid, and responsibility was placed on the Hospital Board. Now that the hospital boards had got themselves into financial ! difficulties through carrying the responsibility of unemployed relief, etc., the Government, the Chamber of Commerce and other bodies concerned were now scolding tlie board for having got into financial straits. "The Auckland Labour members are of the opinion that this action on the part of the Government and other institutions is an indication of a further cutting down of the already inadequate relief that the several boards' are now giving to tlie unemployed," said Mr. Parry. He added that they trusted that; the Auckland board would not depart from tlie chairman's policy —that of not permitting people to starve. The mexn-

bers were further of opinion tliat it was tho duty of the Government to shoulder the responsibility by administering the Unemployment Act as was originally intended, by giving sustenance in lieu of 110 work in accordance with the scale laid down in the original Act, thus relieving the board of tho Government's responsibility and allowing it to function normally.