RELIEF WORKERS.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20551, 20 May 1932, Page 16

RELIEF WORKERS.

DEMANDS AS TO PAY. DEPUTATION MEETS MINISTER. According to Mr B. J. Corn-wall, secretary of the Belief Workers' /Union, and Mr V. H. Grant, president of the Unemployed Workers' Union, the settlesunt of the Christchurch relief -workers' Strike depends on a- reply to be made by the Minister for Employment (the Bt. Hon. 3. 6. Coates) to requests made by them to him in Wellington. Mr Cornwall said that after being granted two interviews with Mr Coates, the Minister promised to answer in writing the points set out as a basis for the settlement of the strike of Christehureb relief workers. The points were: (I) -That single men be paid 12s .64. a day for two days' work; that camps for them be abolished, and that they bo reinstated on relief works.. (2) That married men with no children or one child be given three days' work at 19i 6d. (3) That married men with two or "three children should receive four days' work at 12s 6d; and (4) that married men with four or more children be granted five days' employment at the rate of 12s 6d a day. XuH Sustenance Wanted. Mr Cornwall said that in addition fall pay was asked for in respect of work lost through wet weather, also free transport to and from work. Full sustenance at the rates set out was also sought in the event of the Unemployment Board being unable to provide work lot the men. A further request was that a representative of the unemployed should be allowed a seat on the local Unemployment Committee to enable the committee tokeen in close touch with the relief workers, and thus keep the Unemployment Board acquainted with the needs of the unemployed. -The Minister was urged to eliminate classiskation on relief jobs, and to introduce a flat rate of 12s 6d per day for work done by various local bodies. In the •vent of Ids being unable to agree to He points put forward, the Minister Vte asked to reinstate the No. 5 Scheme. Mr Cornwall added that details of the basis of settlement were left with Mr Coates, who promised to answer them in writing. The nature of the reply would decide the question of whether she strike was to proceed or not. It is expected that the Minister's reify will be submitted to a meeting of Snemplojed this afternoon. Pew Absentees. Enquiries made yesterday from the Various local bodies for whom relief work is being carried out elicited the information that there was an improvement in the position, the number of absentees being smalL The exception Was Lyttelton, where only thirteen men were working, the remainder being out •a strike. Ban on Trades Hall Lifted. It was announced a few days ago that reporters were banned from the Trades Hall until further notice. Yesterday, however, the chairman of the Trades Ball Committee (Mr G. T. Thurston) ■aid that as the tramway dispute had Wen. settled, the embargo had been Sited. He added that the ban had , been imposed as much for the protection ef reporters as for anything else. Mass Meeting. A mass meeting of trade unionists and other workers was held last night in the Perry Boad Hall, Mr J. A. McCsHongh presiding. Messrs Cornwall aasd Grant submitted reports of their Interviews with the Minister for Employment, other speakers being Messr3 C. 7. Saunders, B. M. Macfarlane, and %, Hamilton. The following resolutions were cartied:— t "This mass meeting, which is a symbol of the growing unity of the workers SB industry and unemployed in their soaunon struggle against the attacks of CapitaL demands the immediate release tt alleUss war prisoners and cessation ef attacks on the workers' organisations and Press. We intend to prose«nte an energetic campaign for,the setts** op D 7 t° e Government of a Coinof Enquiry into" all sentences smd police. baton charges, and recora •send all working-telass organisations to sTOport this policy. . t ''.. ... that only by the build? toe: op of a real united front, preferably ft** the rank and file of the workers jptaaOy ia industry and the unero-

ployed, can we effectively halt the attacks on wages and conditions, we call on our class organisations' everywhere immediately to move' for affiliation with the United Front Council." THE WELLINGTON STRIKE. (PBZS3 ASSOCIATION TIT,EGBAM ) WELLINGTON, May 19. It is definitely* understood that 50 per cent, of the relief workers are working, and it is considered! that in the interests of those who are out that the strike should be called off; as it is realised that the men who are standing out are being penalised unfairly by the number that have returned to work. An official statement from Mr P. Fraser, M.P., chairman of tho Strike Committee, is that the Minister for Employment received a deputation, and the pros and cons of bringing about a satisfactory settlement were gone into. Mr Coates was thanked for the way in which he had received the deputation.