WANT RELIEF

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 50, 27 August 1930, Page 7

WANT RELIEF

■ •• - ./ ,■' .■": DE4*DTATION DI6PEBSED

Some fifty unemployed, discontent^ witk the regular means of approaching the Social Welfare Committee at th» Public Hospital, yesterday afternoo* attempted to force admittance whil« the committee was engaged in dealing with 120 cases of distress in the usuaf manner. ' Similar attempts to ignor* the procedure adopted by. the bulk, of the unemployed to secure relief had been made previously by deputation* including the same persons, and as » notice of the demonstration had beem posted at their headquarters, the con* mittee, in view of disquiet caused.if the hospital on these previous occasions, had enlisted the services of tha" police, and the visitors were firmly but gently pushed away from the doots^ and were encouraged to disperse. ~ Some of the grievances appeared t» be that fifteen hours' work were re* quired to secure 19s worth of groceries* the men holding that fewer •.hours should be worked, and it was also contended that the orders for groceries, etc, should be used at whatever shop the recipients chose, and expended on what they selected, whatever it >might be. It was stated that the hours of attendance were such as either took time from .any work that was available or prevented them from, seeking work in the morning; and one of th» chief objections was that no work at all should be done except at full trade union rates of pay.

They "were told to put their request* in writing, but it was difficult for tl>« chairman of the Hospital Board. (Mr. F. Castle), who spoke from the steps, to make himself-heard above hostile cries of all kinds. The social welfare officer (Mr. W. J. Lowe) was received n« better. The police became persuasive, and the gathering, which had attracted a crowd of the curious, melted away.

The chairman of t'-i Social Welfare Committee (Mr. G. Petherick) said that the demands of these men made it difficult to deal with them, as it wai felt that they should submit to the same conditions as anyone else. , It they applied for relief in the ordinMjj way they would receive every cod*. sideration.

Mr. W. Bromley, of the Now Zealand ■ Labour Barty, said lie had been visited last night by representatives of the unemployed, who hail asked him to. take steps to dissociato them in. tfc# minds of the public from, the demonstration made yestorday afternoon •*' the hospital by a, sanall 'gwop *4 jflwH jminista.