MEN REFUSE WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 283, 30 November 1933, Page 18

MEN REFUSE WORK.

RELIEF RATES PAID. RAILWAY EMPLOYMENT. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WAIROA (H. 8.), Wednesday. Recently relief workers employed on the Wairoa-Waikokopu railway refused to .work, claiming that the work was maintenance and should be paid for at standard rates. As a result the men concerned were refused further relief by the Unemployment Board. At last night's meeting of the Wairoa Borough Council the Mayor, Mr. Harker, referred to the position, claiming that the men had a perfectly legitimate complaint, and that every local body in New Zealand should point out to the Government the unsatisfactory state of affairs as far as the Unemployment Board was concerned. In a trenchant criticism of the board's action Mr. Harker stated that personally he believed the Government was forcing a revolution in the country by its actions towards the unemployed. On his resolution a motion was carried unanimously voicing strong disapproval of the attitude of the Government in forcing men to do maintenance work at unemployed rates paid out of the unemployment funds, as by carrying on this policy the Government was depriving men of the possibility of earning a livelihood.

Mr. Glengarry further moved that the council provide work for the men concerned, but this was withdrawn, it being apparent that whilst they were taking no official action the matter of assisting the men to earn sustenance could be attended to by the works committee.