UNEMPLOYMENT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21257, 31 August 1934, Page 15

UNEMPLOYMENT

MEN NOT TO BE PAID DID NOT START WORK BECAUSE OP RAIN fFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter.] WELLINGTON, August 30. ' Those relief workers who did not begin work on the Summit road on June 19, 011 the ground that the weather was too wet, are not to be paid. The Minister for Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitchener) will not reverse the decision of his department in this case. He conveyed this information to-day to Mr D. G. Sullivan, who with other Christchurch members of Parliament had asked that the men should be paid. The Minister said that on June 19 268 men started work about the usual time, and remained at work until notified by the foreman that because of rain they could cease work. These men were paid for a. full day. Two hundred and thirty men began work, knocked off, and did not resume. They were paid up to the time they ceased work. Forty-nine began work, knocked off, and resumed. They were paid for the full day, less the time they were not working. Only 31 did not start at all, and they lost the full day's pay. "It would appear from the mform/s----tion supplied," continued the Minister, "that the actions of these 31 men were the cause of the trouble, and I understand that some of the other men Whom they influenced did not thank them for losing a portion of their day's pay." NO PAY FOR TIME LOST I DEMONSTRATIONS BY | UNEMPLOYED Relief workers who take part in demonstrations will not receive any pay for the time lost at such meetings, nor will they be allowed to make up any of the time that they lose through attending. A definite statement to this effect has been made by the deputychairman of the Unemployment Board (Mr W. Bromley). His statement is a» follows: — . . "In response to an enquiry as to the Unemployment Boards attitude on allowing relief workers to in as up time lost through absenting themselves at public demonstrations, it i not the board's policy to permit such lost time either to be paid for or to be made up. The board has no desire to discourage the expression of legitimate grievances through recognised channels, but it is not in the public interest for the board to facilitate public demonstrations, the proceedings of which are, in any case, too often marked by an intemperateness which only alienates public sympathy from the unemployed. ' GISBORNE AERODROME WORK PUBLIC MEETING APPEALS TO GOVERNMENT I (PfIKSS ASSOCIATION TEMOBA.it.) GISBORNE, August 30. I Convened by the borough council, a conference of all local bodies, local organisations and sections of the community, was held to-night to consider the position which has arisen over relief work on the Gisborne aerodrome. After animated discussion it was resolved to appeal to the Prime Minister and the Government for authority enabling the men to work continuously at least five days a week, at rates enabling them to earn at least 10 shillings a day.