OUT OF WORK

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 119, 22 May 1930, Page 11

OUT OF WORK

DEMAND FOR ACTION V' ■ —

DEMONSTRATION TO BE HELD

A decision to gather together as large a number of the unemployed as possible for the.purpose of holding a mass deputation to-morrow to the Minister of Labour (tho Hon. W. A. Veitch) and the Minister of Public Works,(the Hon. E.. A. Ransom) was made by a meeting of the Unemployed Workers' Organisation to-day. Mr. B. GrifL'en presided.

In opening tho meeting, at. which there were 45 present, the chairman • jsa>id that the gatnemig wus but v small fraction of those out of work in Wellington, but. that ,they hoped to have a bigger muster to-morrow morning. It was. their intention to press for the publication of unemployment figures, which were being suppressed in order to liictc the real position. Th-ey also strongly advocated a rotary system thai' would give employment first to .those who had been out of work the longest. This would prevent the favouritism which the speaker alleged. It-was decided to keep a register of tho names and addresses of ail unemployed, and also the length of time they had been out of work.

; Several suggestions were made by members or! the meeting for the alleviation of those hi distress.' A street collection was mooted, but the chairman said that this method had proved unsatisfactory in Auckland, where the unemployed had been given a very small dividend after the expenses had been paid. He urged that any moneys raised should be used for'organisation and propaganda purposes. . •. One member urged the-necessity'for providing camps for those who were compelled to walk the streets. Tents coVHd be erected in the parks'and weals provided. At the present time those who were sleeping out wore liable to be arrested for being rogues and vagabonds. On ouo night recently there were 61 sleeping in Newtown Park. Furthermore, it was necessary that meals be provided, as several men were living on one meal a day, and thus had not the strength to cope with heavy work when it was offered to them. Tho chairman said that they should make it clear .that they were not satisfied. They had a.right to work at full trade union rates. Furthermore, any deputation that approached the Government should be a mass one. When the leaders formed a deputation they, were given a few cigarettes and things were smoothed over: The spokesman would have to. speak before the crowd, and the authorities must bo forced to reply before the crowd. .'

There was a long argument as to whether the deputation should approach the Minister immediately or wait until .tb'-inorrcw.' The chief objection to immediate action was that tho gathering was not big enough. If they made a demonstration they would very likely find themselves on Lambton quay. . It was decided after two divisions on the question to hold another meeting tomorrow morning and then form a mass deputation.

The question of the unemployed being evicted from their houses because they were unable to pay; their rents was also discussed, and it was decided that any cases should b& brought under the notice of the. committee, who would see what could be done. The chairman suggested that- all possible steps be" taken to prevent eviction.

A member: "I propose that Mr. Peter Frascr introduce the deputation.''

Another member: "I oppose that."

I The Chairman: "I am going to speak against: that. I don't liko loaders of. any sort being associated with deputations. My experience of the Labour members of Parliament is that they do all they can to prevent a demonstra.tion. They will tell us to wait until after the present political situation is over, and that they will do their best for us when1-the session starts. That is a month hence. We want immediate I work, and not' charity." .