RATIONS FOR STRIKERS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 19

RATIONS FOR STRIKERS.

NOT GIVEN IN AUCKLAND. HOSPITAL BO ABB INTERLUDE MEMBER THREATENS TO RESIGN. A threat to resign from the Hospital Board wae made by Mr. A. Marshall Laing at a special meeting last evening. This attitude was apparently provoked by the discussion which developed over a request from the Director-General of Health for information as to whether the board gave relief to strikers or ablebodied unemployed who refused relief work. The nature of the Departmental inquiry was strongly resented by several members. Mr. E. H. Potter pointed out that it was not a question of helping thn men, hut of assisting the families. "If the Minister of Health wants me to vote against giving relief to the families of men who (strike. I will L not do it," said Mr. M. J. Savage, M,P. "What is more, I hope the board will never do it. There may have been one or two foolish people who asked for •'strike rations,' but 97 per cent of the men have not said that. The Minister n*ks whether it is true that women and children who are starving are receiving relief. Our answer should be that it is true, and that it will continue." Mr. Laing insisted that the question was whether men who struck received relief. Surely that question could be answered without introducing a lot of fide issues! It was suggested by Mr. G. T. Parvin that the letters should be referred to the relief committee with power to act. Impossible to Prevent Sharing.. Mr. W. K. Howitt, chairman of the relief committee, made the point that when a man was eent to gaol the board was obliged to provide for his destitute wife and children. In the case of men who refused relief work or who etruck, the families when in distress had to receive relief, but who could prevent the rations being shared with the husband? "Do you help the men?" loudly demanded Mr. Laing. The Chairman (Mr. W. Wallace):. You must allow Mr. Howitt to proceed. "Do you help the men?" repeated Mr. Laing. Mr. Howitt: We help the women and children who are destitute. Every case was considered on its merits. It was no use knocking one's head againet a brick wall; the committee was dealing with flesh and blood. "I Will Resign." Mr. F. N. Bartram proceeded to deal with suppositions cases of women ing to husbands the sustenance thej received when Mr. Laing sprang to his feet, elapped his hands and shouted: "You are going all round the question We are not talking about women ana children. I will resign my seat from this board altogether if I cannot get a fair hearing. They take me up wrongly. The question before the board is easily answered. Where a man goes on strike or refuses work, I would cut him off, and look-after the family only. I don t feel inclined to sit on this board with the sort of hearing I get." # . Mr. Howitt: If a woman receiving relief gives food to the biggest rotter in Auckland, how can we stop iti Mr. Laing contended that men on strike should have been cut off. He admitted , the families were entitled to assistance. "We don't give relief to strikers; there is no need to say any more about it, said Mr. S. J. Harbutt. "The question is as to whether we - supply those on strike with food. Our answer is Iμ o, and I move a reply in that direction be forwarded to the , The Rev. W. 0. Wood inquired by what authority the Minister of Health wrote to the "board in that etram. 1 am not going to be dictated to Iγ the Minister or hav« my actions questioned bv him," he added. 'Mr. Hawitt: It is lard enough to do the work without carping criticism. It was decided to inform the Department that strikers or aWe-bodied men who refused work were not given relief.