CUT IN RELIEF WAGES

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 276, 21 November 1932, Page 5

CUT IN RELIEF WAGES

STRONG OTAHUHTX PROTEST.

"Many of us have gone through the mud and hell of Flanders for Democracy, and we are prepared to go through it again for food," said one member of a deputation of relief workers who waited on the Otahuhu Borough Council.

The deputation presented a petition protesting against the recent cutting down of relief wages signed by 74 Otahuhu business men, and asked the council definitely to support their protest. After stressing what the cut would mean to the relief workers, Mr. West said they were rapidly getting down to the starvation point, in spite of the Prime Minister's assurance that no one in New Zealand would starve.

Other spokesmen for the deputation eaid the council surely recognised the gravity of the situation in Otahuhu. They were respectable and responsible citizens, but their patience was almost exhausted. This was their last effort, and they asked the council to back them up.

The Mayor, Mr. H. T. Clements, said in reply that the council had moved already. He had wired to the Minister of Employment protesting against a 20 per cent cut in the allocation of relief funds, and had received a reply stating that his figures were not correct. The commissioner was right up to a certain point. Otahuliu's allocation had been based on their'registration figures of two weeks ago, when 25 men were on No. 10 scheme. These men were now back on No. 5 scheme, and unless provision was made for the additional men coming on to relief work the position would become progressively worse. From inquiries he found Otahuhu was getting 10 per cent less than the city scale. During the past Otahuhu was treated as part of the city, and he assured the deputation they were going to make it their business to see why the change had been made.

A resolution from the Social Service Association was received stating that the association viewed with grave concern the recent cut in the relief workers' wages, and asking the council to support their request for recons...ev:-' ion.

The council endorsed both the petition and the resolution, and appointed the Mayor and the town clerk to take action.