ISSUE OF RATIONS

Dominion, Volume 25, Issue 171, 15 April 1932, Page 12

ISSUE OF RATIONS

Hutt Unemployed Make Protests GRIEVANCES VOICED Asserting that they had not received adequate rations, and objecting to having to produce their rent books, a group of Lower Hutt unemployed yesterday held a meeting of protest during which the mayor, Mr. W. T. Strand, together with other local relief organisations, was 1 , subjected to criticism. Later a meeting which the deputy-mayor, Mr. J. Mitchell, attended in the mayor’s absence was held in the Lyceum Hall.. Mr. P. Shipman occupied the chair. The complaints were chiefly against the charitable aid organisation. Strong criticism was levelled against the system of making men produce their rent books before any ' rations were given, and it was stated that in one case where 40 men had applied for aid only six bad received help. The alleged alteration in the policy of the Charitable Aid Board in refusing to give increased rations where a reduction had been made in relief work'br pay, was also criticised. Dissatisfaction was expressed with the quality and condition of the bread and meat supplied. Sale of Potatoes. In Lower Hutt a plantation of potatoes is set aside specially for the unemployed, and the meeting did not agree that the local relief committee should make a charge of.l/- per quarter for potatoes from this plantation. It was said that at one time the committee was purchasing potatoes and selling them to the unemployed at 6d per quarter. Now that the potatoes cost the committee nothing they should be issued free, it was said. Mr. Mitchell promised to arrange a meeting between the Lower Hutt Unemployment Committee and representatives of the men on Friday to discuss the question of reduced hours of work. He also intimated that he would discuss the matter with the various organisations as soon as possible. Reply Demanded. A resolution passed by the meeting stated: “That failing an immediate satisfactory reply from the deputymayor to the demands made we wait en ‘masse upon the charitable aid officials, and that if we do not get what we want we take it.” ( After consideration of the mens grievances officials of the charitable aid organisations issued the following report to Mr. P. Shipman, the chairman of the morning’s meeting: That three and four-day men who lost time last week may obtain relief from here on Friday morning from 11 o’clock onward. A deputy from the various jobs may obtain the chits for his gang if the ganger will supply the necessary list of the men affected. HOSPITAL BOARD VIEW Showing of Rent-books . i The grievances voiced by relief workers at Lower Hutt were referred to last evening by Mr. G. Petherick, chairman of the Charitable Aid Committee of the' Wellington Hospital Board. “It has always been our policy to insist on the production of rent books by applicants for charitable aid,” said Mr. Petherick. “Our means are limited, and in determining the amount of relief to be given we take into consideration the payment on default in rent If a man is not paying his rent he has probably more to live on than the man who keeps up payments. We must allow for this when allocating rations.” Mr. Petherick added that the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board would like to be in a position to give more relief than at present. As finances stood, the garment had to be cut according to the cloth, and there was not an abundance of everything for everybody. Mr. Petherick remarked that the relief in the Hutt Valley was handled by an auxiliary committee, which reported weekly to the Hospital Board. The work of this committee was supplemented by the local relief committee. . The meat which the unemployed men alleged was largely uneatable was not supplied through the Hospital Board. MEN FOR CAMPS Only Six from Petone Of the 33 unemployed interviewed at Petone with regard to single men's camps, only six actually went. The remainder indicated their willingness to go at a'later date. The small response may be due to the shortness of the notice, which was received only two days before the date of departure. At a recent meeting of the Petone unemployed all single men’s camps were declared “black.”