“HUNGER” MARCHERS

Dominion, Volume 27, Issue 109, 1 February 1934, Page 11

“HUNGER” MARCHERS

Support for Gisborne Relief Workers MEETING AT PALMERSTON Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, January 31. In order to enable the Gisborne “hunger” marchers to state their grievances and their reasons for proceeding to Wellington, a largely attended public meeting was held in the Opera House last night. , . , Mr. U. Jennings, Waikokopu, denied a report that 300 men were still on relief work in the Gisborne district, stating that there were not even three men working. The second-class men in the district had to live on BJd. a day for each member of the family, and the third-class men were allowed TJd for each person of their families. Men had been asked to cut scrub at 2/9 an acre, while men in camps were working fqr 2d an hour. The Gisborne workers had to pay the cost of their own transport, which represented a charge of IO per cent, of their earnings. The meeting passed a resolution endorsing the action of the Gisborne relief workers, and pledging full support, of their action. ‘ A suggestion that tjje mayor should call a meeting of citizens for the. purpose of requesting Mr. J- A. Nash, M.P., to resign from Parliament, was endorsed. , . , x An appeal by the chairman and Mi. Jennings for volunteers to join the march to Wellington did not meet with any success. The marchers left Palmerston Noitn this morning in continuation of their journey to Wellington. WORKLESS SOLDIERS Inadequate .Sustenance SYMPATHY OF R.S.A. The plight of the unemployed returned soldier was referred to at the meeting of the R.S.A. executive last evening, when it was decided that the following motion, moved by the Rev. AA. Bramwell Scott, be forwarded to New Zealand headquarters with a request that it be placed before the proper authorities: — “In view of the fact that so many exservicemen gave their best years for life’s preparation in the service of their country, we, the members of the Wellington R.S.A. executive, desire to record our apprehension at any move in the direction of giving inadequate sustenance grants, instead of employment, that will place these men at a serious disadvantage in the struggle for home and family. We request that the whole position should be reviewed by the Government and Unemployment Board in the light, of the effect that it will have upon returned soldiers and their families, men whom the country in the hour of its necessity pledged itself to maintain if only they would respond to the call to arms.” The chairman, Colonel A- Cowles, said he thought returned soldiers had a superior claim to the non-soldiers. ‘EFFORT TO STAMPEDE’ Strike Ballot Ignored By Telegraph.—Press Association. Invercargill, January 31, Mr. Marchant, secretary of the Provincial Council of the Southland Relief Workers’ Organisation, representing practically all relief workers, declares that the effort of the National Unemployed Workers’ Movement to take a strike ballot in Southland was ignored and the message from Palmerston North on 'Tuesday was an effort to stampede the relief workers.