CONDITIONS IN CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 301, 15 September 1933, Page 6

CONDITIONS IN CAMPS

Wanganui Meeting Passes Protest RELIEF WORK POLICY Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, September 14, A protest meeting was held in the Wanganui Opera House last night, when the following resolutions were passed - (1) “That this meeting of citizens and unemployed of Wanganui condemns the conditions applying to the camps on the Parapara Road, on the grounds that they do not conform to the lowest standard essential to human existence. They are so deplorable as to constitute a menace *o the health and morals of the men and boys, and are unquestionably a disgrace tp New Zealand and those who are so inhuman through their responsibility.’’ t (2) “That this meeting views with grave concern the continuance of the present system of employing thousands of able-bodied men at the existing low rate of wages, which is inadequate to maintain workers and their families in a reasonable standard of comfort, and compels them to resort to charity. This unsatisfactory: system, which has now continued for several years, is' having the most harmful and demoralising effect upon both men and their dependants, and it has necessitated the organising of a system of charitable relief which is growing and extending throughout the community, and having a detrimental influence on our national life. While appreciating past efforts of the Government to extemporise means for alleviating unemployment, we consider the time has arrived for a discontinuing of the present system and for substituting it by making provision for every able-bodied man to have an opportunity of earning a living wage,” A- copy of the first resolution will be sent to the Minister of Public Works, and a copy of each to the Minister of Unemployment.