UNEMPLOYMENT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21119, 21 March 1934, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT

ALLEGED REMARKS RESENTED PROTEST TO UNEMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE A request that two members of the Christchurch Unemployment Committee withdraw remarks they made at the last meeting of the committee after a deputation from the Lewis Pass camp had left the room is contained in a letter to the chairman of the committee, Mr E. H. Andrews, which has been sent by the secretary of the Canterbury Unemployed Workers' Association, Mr R. Macdonald. The letter states that in the newspaper reports of the proceedings of the committee Mr J. W. Beanland was reported to have said during the discussion that it would be criminal to give work to single men in the city, and Mr J. W. Crampton was reported to have said that single men's camps should be placed under semi-military control. The letter asks tii.it Ma" Beanland either justify or withdraw his remarks. It also states that Mr Crampton has been asked to attend the next meeting of the association, when mi opportunity will be given him to explain why semi-military control should be "used in the camps. The writer further asks that a copy of the letter be sent to tlie Unemployment Board.

SEEDS FOR RELIEF WORKERS SI TI'LILS AVAILABLE THIS WEEK A ik-\\ arrangement has been made in the method of distributing seeds to relief workers by the Unemployed Gardens Allotments Committee, so that seeds for autumn crops of vegetables will be available at the depot of the reserves department of the Christchurch City Council this week. When explaining the position, Mr M. J. Barnett, superintendent of parks and reserves, said that the men would have to realise that the seeds were being sold at a loss, and if it were not for private donations and assistance from the other local bodies, the committee would be in financial difficulties. At present the committee had quite a substantial credit balance, but that was made up by assistance from other local bodies, and by private donations.

"Naturally, the committee does not want lo be" left with a large stock of seeds on its hands, because unless they are disposed of this season they will have no value." Mr Barnett said. "However, it is by no means too late to sow autumn crops of vegetables, and at a meeting of the committee obtaining seeds and lime for autumn use was discussed. It was decided to procure the lime and vegetable seeds for autumn sowing. The seeds will be procured this week, and if the men call at the reserves department depot at the usual hours, namely. Thursday and Saturday mornings they will get what they require."

RELIEF WORKERS' CARDENS i Arrangements arc being made for I ! the Mayor Ulr D. G. Sullivan. M.P.) j I to present, on a convenient date in I the near future, the ' prizes awarded i this year in the relief workers' gar- , dens competition conducted by the , Gardens Allotment Committee. In | addition to the prize money, there will j be presented to each winner a suitable . certificate as a more or less permanent \ record. i METKOI'OLITAN RELIEF ASSOCIATION i Further arrangements lor a relief! scheme for the winter were made a! j a meeting of the Metropolitan Relief j Association yesterday. The meeting. | whicli was presided over by Mr i George Harper, was not open "to the press. I REUEF IN CITIES AND j TOWNS | HOARD'S i'OLK'V EXPLAINED | iwns iSsoiueriuK tei.mium.) ! HASTINGS, March 20. | Mr J. S. Jes.op, deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board, was present | in Hastings this evening, at a meetin:; I of all bodies connected with the unemployed, and those seeking to assist j them in the matter of relief. The main request which was made to Mr Jessep was for more even distribution of relief between cities and towns. Mr I .Jcsscp said flic board could not at- I tempt to make nn even allocation, as : conditions varied in different places. The problem was far more ;,cute in town such as Wellington and Auckland than it was in places like Hastings. The act did not take :,w,iy the responsibility of local bodies. It was purely for the purpose of assisting. It j aid not pretend thai unemployment ! relief provided a wage, but was \ merely sustenance. All the board could do was to use the money provided and it was used only where need existed. He staled definitely Hint (hose who earned a few extra shillings ;yqart from the relief wage were not penalised, and also strenuously denied that fhe board had created any huge reserve fund-;. j