PROTEST AGAINST GRANT

Press, Volume LXXI, Issue 21387, 1 February 1935, Page 12

PROTEST AGAINST GRANT

CONFERENCE WITH MAYOR REQUESTED DISTRIBUTION OF RELIEF RATIONS Protest against the grant of the £2850 from the funds of the Municipal Electricity Department to the Metropolitan Relief Association is contained in a letter to the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) by Mr C. H. Cole, as secretary of the Canterbury Unemployed Workers' Association. The letter suggests that the money should be distributed by officers of the City Council, in conjunction with representatives of the Canterbury Unemployed Workers' Association, in the form of relief rations, and that these ration orders should be handed to the relief workers direct to avoid waiting at depots. A conference between the Mayor and representatives of the Unemployed Workers' Association is also asked for, so that the matter can be discussed. The text of the letter is:— "I am instructed by my committee to write to you with reference to the grant of £2850 from the M.E.D. funds (subject to the Government's approval) to the Metropolitan Relief Association. "We strongly object to any of this money being handed over to the Metropolitan Relief Association for distribution, and suggest that it should be distributed by officers of the City Council, in conjunction with representatives of our organisation, in. the form of ration orders—these orders to be handed to the relief workers direct, thus preventing any queueing at depots. "Before completing this matter we request that a conference be arranged between yourself and representatives from our association, so that this question can be discussed."

MEETING AT NEW BRIGHTON DEPUTATION TO WAIT ON TOWN CLERK Mr W. D. Kennedy was in the chair at a meeting of the New Brighton branch of the Canterbury Unemployed Workers' Association, held in the Oasis Hall last evening. There was an attendance of about 50. The chairman said he regretted that the 400 men and their dependents registered in the borough were not better represented, and it was decided that a general meeting be called for Thursday next. On the motion of Mr J. O'Connell, it was decided that it be a recommendation to the next meeting that a deputation be appointed to wait on the local council asking that in all cases where a man had been reported for some offence in his work he should get every opportunity of defending himself before the works committee or the full council, either personally or through the Canterbury Unemployed "Workers' Association, and further, that no man be stood down for a first offence. Mr C. F. Pryke and Mr E. W. Braithwaile addressed the meeting. The meeting agreed to support any effort made by the association to advance its objects as outlined by Mr Braithwaite. It was further decided that a deputation wait on the town clerk (Mr C. T. Middleton) regarding the payment tendered to one man for wages.