POLICE CALLED ON

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 284, 27 August 1930, Page 12

POLICE CALLED ON

Unemployed Demonstrate

SCENE AT HOSPITAL

Hundred Besiege Doors

Refused admittance to the room in which the Social Welfare Committee was meeting, about a hundred unemployed staged a demonstration outside tile Public Hospital yesterday afternoon, until eventually they were dispersed by the police. Some of the demonstrators are said by the Social Welfare authorities to be men who have been making unreasonable demands.

About three months ago, a deputation of unemployed waited upon the Hospital Board without being announced. It was decided on that occasion to hear what they had to say. The speakers mainly criticised the system under which relief was granted. It was pointed out, however, by members of the board that a man who was given relief was asked to do some work in return for his food and lodgings. That was a test as to whether he was genuine or not, and to some extent it also set at ease the conscience of those who abhorred anything in the nature of charity. The deputation, however, contended that work should not be insisted upon as a condition of charitable aid, and that if work was demanded, the man ought to be paid union rates of pay. One man even went so far as to demand open orders so that it would bo possible for the men to obtain what food or articles they wished. He com plained that they could not get tobacco and cigarettes, and there were many men who preferred those amenities to the ordinary necessities of life. This request met with flat refusal. - Some time later, a request was made to the board that a further deputation should be heard. The Social Welfare Committee to whom the matter was referred, replied that one deputation had already been heard, and that if the men had any new demands to make, they should put them in writing, and they would be considered. Ignoring this dictum, about 20 men nought to be heard when a meeting of the Social Welfare Committee was m progress last Tuesday week. They were told that it was quite Impossible for the committee’ to hear them that afternoon, as it had over a hundred and fifty men who were out of work to deal with, and that it would be engaged until about 6 o’clock in the evening. Dissatisfied with the reception received the men took charge of the corridors and addressed all those who happened to be present at this time, making all sorts of wild statements. were called, and the J“ en ™ r ® to go away quietly. This they did, but U Ttewdaytago a notice was on the door of a building in Cuba Street announcing that a deputation of unemployed had been arranged tc> wait upon the Social Welfare Committee of the Wellington Hospital Board at 2 p.m. on the day of the next meeting. The com mittee was aware that such arra ”F“ e “- had been made, and the .precaution of warning the police was taken. Instructions were given that under no circumstances were members of the deputation to be allowed inside the building. Promptly at two o’clock yesterday atternoon the deputation, consisting of about a hundred men, appeared and was greeted by a sergeant, six cdnstables and two detectives. They were told that it. they wanted anything, the wisest course —in fact the only course—for them was to nut their requests in writing. They were promised that if this were done their representations would receive the fullest consideration. Jeers and Cat-calls. The announcement was the signal for jeers and cat-calls. The leaders insisted upon being heard. By this time a large crowd had gathered outside the hospital. The chairman of the board, Mr. F. Castle, and the Social Welfare Officer, Mr. U. J. Lowe, addressed the men from the top of the steps, but they were both howled down. Mr. Castle warned the men that if they persisted in their conduct the police would be called upon to disperse them. The warning went unheeded, the police got to Y or * c l ?• within a very short time the deputation had disappeared. / n Mr. G. Petherick, chairman of the social welfare committee, expressed regret last night at the attitude of the men. He considered that they had been most unreasonable. Yesterday, he said, the committee had over 120 cases of unemployed who had apnroached it, througn the proper and right channels, to deal with. The committee was fully occupied in hearing the claims of those people for relief.- So much so. said Mr. Petherick. that it was twenty minutes past 6 before he was able to leave for his home last evening. aim “These men? he said, are most to deal with. They are making all sorts of demands. We feel that . To a “Dominion” representative. Mr men were starving.