STRONGLY OPPOSED

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 284, 27 August 1930, Page 8

STRONGLY OPPOSED

Thirty-Shilling Tax on Men UNEMPLOYMENT BILL ' Strong criticism of the proposal to levy an annual tax of 30/- on men for the relief of unemployment was contained in a resolution carried unanimously at a meeting of the General Labourers’ Union. The resolution read as follows: — “That this meeting of general labourers protests against the provision in the Unemployment Bill to levy a flat tax of 30/- annually on the male section of the population to prevent unemployment. We consider that this proposal is unjust and unfair to the minimum wage workers of the country. We wish to draw attention to the fact that the average annual earnings of the members of this union is £l3O, and it is obviously unj’ust to ask them to pay the same as persons with incomes ranging up to. £20,000. We consider that as the workers are not responsible for the unemployment problem they should not be unjustly taxed to provide against its effects on the community. We appeal to the labour organisations, both industrial and political, to oppose this vicious principle, and to the Labour members in Parliament to fight the proposal tooth and nail. We further consider, that to ask the wage workers to contribute to the relief of unemployment for which they are not responsible is absurd, and we protest against any scheme which makes this provision.” R.S.A. Dissatisfied The following resolution was passed unanimously by the executive of the New Zealand Returned Soldiers’ Association, which met last evening “That this meeting of the N.Z.R.S.A. expresses its profound disappointment that the amendments to the Unemployment Bill, suggested to the Minister of Labour and the Select Committee of the House which considered the measure, have not been incorporated in the Bill, and further presses that this demand, with the amendments suggested, be incorporated in the Bill, unless the Government proposes to introduce legislation this session to set up the Soldiers’ Civil Re-establishment League as recommended by the ex-sol-diers’ rehabilitation commission.” It was also decided that a deputation wait upon the Acting-Prime Minister and Minister of Labour to urge that effect be. given to the resolution. Tawa Flat Protest At a largely attended meeting of the Tawa Flat branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, held at Johnsonville, the Unemployment Insurance Bill, as reported frokn the Unemployment Bill Committee, was fully discussed. The following resolution was carried unanimously :— “That this meeting of the Tawa Flat branch of the New Zealand Workers’ Union registers its considered protest against the enactment of the proposed unemployment bill as an ill-advised attempt to solve the problem of unemployment, and emphatically protests against both the inequitable method of contributions, and the inadequate sustenance payments.”