IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 123, 26 May 1932, Page 6

IN THE PUBLIC MIND.

CAMPS FOR UNEMPLOYED. PURELY VOLUNTARY BASIS. (To the Editor.) The leaflet issued by the Auckland office of the Labour Department is obviously designed to accustom the public to the idea that "there is no alternative" to forcing married men into camps and to stifle all criticism of the policy. Mr. Coates, Minister of Employment, stated in the Houee that "the camp scheme was on a purely voluntary basis," and "men who refused to "o to camp would not be penalised under No. 5 scheme." The Takapuna and other local bodies aro asking that they be permitted to employ relief workers under .No. 5 scheme, and such being the case, I think it ri-rht to ask by whose authority such a leaflet was issued. The leaflet states, inter alia that there is nothing more demoralising than "mere task work." Many people are of the opinion that it is infinitely more demoralising to forcibly remove a father from the bosom of his family, and not only the father, but also the children, to say nothing of the mother. The leaflet also states: Any critic who opposes the camp scheme must ',ow definitely where and how work to all the C ity unemployed can be provided, or fall in and help along the scheme." Whilst not admitting that a critic is under any such obligation (inasmuch as all a critic need do is to point out the defects of the system) I will endeavour to help the unemployed who do not wish to go to camp by suggesting alternatives as follows: (1) The formation of a committee to administer the Auckland allocation of the unemployment funds and to devise ways and means of providing work in the citv and suburbs for those men who desire to remain in their homes. (2) Put the camp scheme on a voluntary basis, and so as to ensure a fair response, offer slightly better inducements than are given in the city or suburbs, such as hospital relief to the dependents of the volunteers. (3) Put into operation a modified No. 2 scheme. (4) In order to encourage local bodies to employ as many as possible under No. 5 echeme, the cost and maintenance of tools, insurance and subsidies for overseeing, etc:, be paid out of the unemployment fund, maintenance and other T)orouo'h work to be done under No. 5 scheme. The payment of subsidies for special work would establish no precedent. If No 1 sug•reetion was put in operation it would relieve the Auckland office of the Labour Department of a "ood deal of worry, as the gentlemen on that committee (including the officer m charge of the Department) would give the public the benefit of their combined deliberations and not leave such weighty problems for one or two men to SHEppMU> _

RIGHT OF FREE SPEECH.

Tn your leader on Tuesday evening you lay down the proposition that no teacher should be allowed to belong to a political party; and you seemingly regard that proposition as. selfevident, since you adduce no reasons in support of it. For my own part, I have not yet discovered a political party—in New Zealand, at any rate—to which I could give personal support However, it may interest your readers to learn that, df your view is sound, the present distinguished occupant of the chair of political science in the University of London should be "sacked" for appearing on the Labour party platform, and a no less distinguished historian at King's College in the same University ehould be dismissed for his adherence to the Conservative party. Even the master of Balliol would be "sent down" on your formula, and quite possibly Dr. Temple would cease to be Archbishop of York. I could extend this list by adding to it the namee of teachers of) mine in France and Germany who took an active part in party politics. I have not time nor space to argue the case for allowing teachers to belong publicly to a political party, but it is surely clear that there is everything to be gained by eaeh individual coming into the open, and that anyone who is going to mix up his political interests as citizen with his professional duties ae teacher is unfitted for his work and can be easily detected and removed. Another matter which does not appear to have been given sufficient attention in recent public discussion is the extent to which economic penalties may be and are imposed in consequence of the exercise of the right of freedom of speech. It ie undeniable that a majority of employments, public as well as private, can be secured only by the favour of individuals and that these individuals can and do, most unfairly in many cases, reject the claims of those, however competent, who are believed to entertain distasteful political opinions. LEHiRBR.

MOUNT EDEN FINANCE

Unfortunately I have been grievously miereported in your paragraph regarding the Mount Eden Borough Council's allocation for relief works. At a caucus of councillors who favoured a 4/9 rate it was decided to endeavour to debit £600 of the proposed vote (£1100) to the No. 33 drainage loan account, seeing that the relief labour is being largely employed on this scheme. This would have had the effect of reducing the burden now unfairly placed on the general account and would have made possible a rate of id less. This will w> endorsed by the other four councillors who agreed upon this course of action. No actual reduction in the grant was suggested, only a different policy regarding its allocation. There should be no misconception as to where I personally stand regarding the unemployed question, seeing that I moved the original motion requesting the Unemployment Board to s» e_ pend the camp scheme while the Mount Eden Borough Council could provide remunerative work. I have also consistently advocated that the sinking funds should bo invested in a inanner that would facilitate the financing of the drainage works to enable this to be done. J. J. MULVIHII.L.

CHARITABLE AID DISTRIBUTION.

Many who are forced to obtain relief fro'" the Charitable Aid Board disapprove of the method of distribution. A worker I know at New Lynn gets 10/ relief each week and has to come to Khyber Pass to get his few goods, spending one shilling out of his poor resources in transport. A hard up one at To Papapa has likewise to spend one shilling to go to Newmarket to get his stores. Why cannot we be given an order on our own grocer, who has loyally stood by us in every way possible, instead of one" grocer, one baker and one butcher getting the lot, to the serious detriment of all "other tradesmen? This is a national crisis and every tradesman should get his share to help him along the same as they do in cities larger than Auckland. I venture to say that Mr. Wallace, with his method ot administration, has been responsible, for hundreds of tradesmen closing their doors. U they had had their share of trade, which wafi their due, they would still be going. Why » it necessary for a recipient of relief to take all his order at one time and so bo compelled, to take goods he does not require, often with the result that he resells them? One person showed me fourteen packets of candles, procured in this way. Tho method of giving relict is wrong. KELIM , .