THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

Press, Volume LXXII, Issue 21759, 16 April 1936, Page 9

THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD

TO THE BDITOK Of THE PRESS. Sir,—Since the election of our Labour Government we have heard a great deal from our Cabinet Ministers regarding better conditions, running shoes, and mulberry bushes, as well as a general condemnation of the Coates-Forbes Government. The Hon H T Armstrong expressed himself in' no uncertain manner before and since the general election, when discussing the various schemes in operation under the Unemployment Board. He was indignant and disgusted at the treatment the unemployed men were receiving, and considered it nothing out slavery when men were forced to accept the pay and conditions of the present camp schemes, "..they refused to go they were immediately denied their sustenance, so could either take the offer or starve. Now the Hon. H. T. Armstrong has given the board its running shoes and he is in supreme control, and m the position to carry out his promises made to the unemployed. He stated some Sue ago that no more men were to bf forced into camps under the present conditions; but it appears that the unemployed are not to take.his words seriously as a politician, IJut are to do as he commands as an official, for at the present time scores of men are being forced to accept the wonderful sum of 9s a day. and no pay for wet lays. Many of these camps are in the mountains, such.as Arthur's' Pass and one can easily imagine that the days there during this time of the year are not blessed with a great amount of sunshine, with the "suit «£tMny men are in debt to the st ° re jf e fP 1 y : for their food. This is called fulltfme employment at standard rates or P Yt' is admitted of course, that our new Government has not had the ooDortunity to do anything as yet; still, oSe wonders why Mr Armstrong cannot keep the promises he has made, for ff he had the power to discharge the Unemployment Board he surely has S"?owerto alter these measures of force via starvation. Many men are upholding the policy advocated by the Ester for Labour by refusing to acS these conditions, while the Minister in his turn is trying to starve them Si submission. I hav« been informed bV an official who holds a responsible jZJfioi Tin the unemployment bureau fim7?obs»; n i wAer if the Mimster has at last turned T°ry-Your^ett.,

April 6, 1936. [The above letter was referred to the Hon H. t. Armstrong, Minister for Labour, who stated that the Govern-

ment fully intended to carry out the promises made to increase the standard rates of pay for men on public works. That particular question however, was only one of many that had to be considered involving the Government's whole monetary policy, and that could not be formulated in the short time the Government had oqen in office. Loyal supporters of tiie Government should assist it by accepting full-time employment that might be aveilabie, and trust the Government 'to give effect to its promises.]