NOT PARTY QUESTION

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 159, 1 April 1930, Page 13

NOT PARTY QUESTION

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF LABOUR ATTITUDE AT DUNEDIN By Telegraph.—Press Association. Dunedin, . March 31. On the ground that unemployment is not a party question, both Mr. J. W. Munro, M.P., and Mr. Robinson, a Labour official, decline to confer with a reresentative of the Public Works Department who is coming to Dunedin to go into the unemployment problem. They contend that the question should be discussed with tbe Unemployment Committee in Dunedin, which is a representative body, and in the presence of the Press. NUMBER DISMISSED AN AUCKLAND COMPLAINT Dominion Special Service. Auckland, March 31. Advice has been received by Mr. W. J. Jordan, M.P., that between 40 and 50 men employed at the Public Works Department’s relief camp at Hunua were dismissed on Friday. No definite reason was given for this action, he says, but others employed there were told that the work had nearly been completed and all men would probably be discharged within a fortnight. Mr. Jordan has written to the Minister of Public Works asking if it is true that the work at Hunua will be suspended shortly, and if there is any further, employment available for the men. WORK IN HUTT VALLEY MOVE FOR EMPLOYMENT OF LOCAL MEN A letter was received by the Petone Borough Council last night from the Petone Chamber of Commerce regarding the general trend of things in New Zealand, pointing to increased unemployment and a serious steadying up in business and availability of money. The chamber believed that Hutt Valley, endowed with industries, as it was, would see the present depression through if given a chance.' In order to prevent the possibility of the crowding of men from other parts of the country to the district, the chairman suggested that various local bodies, concerned should go carefully into the question and do their utmost to see that) every employer of labour, whether big or small, Government or municipal, used only local labour, and that in granting of tender, contracts, wherever possible contracts should be given to local, firms, and no encouragement given to outsiders. If such a move could be started and kept going it would be quickly realised by the whole country that the Hutt Valley was a closed area, not a possible dumping ground, and the valley and its business men would be saved a lot of trouble and quite a big drain on its resources.

The Mayor (Mr. D. MeKenzie) said that he had visited all the important industrial concerns in the district, and he had ascertained that in every case a very large proportion of local men was being employed. On the motion of the Mayor it was decided that every assistance be given to the movement. “We must give our own men a chance,” he said. CITY RELIEF WORKS UNION SUPPORTS SECRETARY At a hugely attended meeting of tbe General Labourers’ Union, held in the Trades Hill last evening, matters arising from a recent deputation to the City Council were discussed and tbe following resolutions were unanimously carried: — , L “That this ■‘meeting endorses the actions of the secretary in protesting against the present relief works policy of the City Council and congratulates him in bringing the points complained of, before the public in a convincing manner. We further wish to express our confidence in him as secretary of this union, and to assure him of our support in his endeavours to obtain justice and right for our members.” 2. “That this meeting requests the City Council to honour its agreement with the union and .pay the men in its employ who are engaged on standard scheduled work tbe wages and the conditions laid down in the award. We consider it unjust to classify these works as relief works, which has the effect of reducing the standard of living of the workers.”