WORKERS' DONATIONS

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 38, 14 February 1931, Page 7

WORKERS' DONATIONS

(To the Editor.) Sir, —I am loth to butt in in matters connected with the earthquake fund, but two things have goaded me to action, namely, Mr. Hugh J. Ward's alleged remarks to an alleged Communist on the Sydney boat and "Dinkum Unionist's" letter in to-night's "Post" about Mr. Cook's article in the "N.Z. Worker." With all due respect to Mr. Ward and "Dinkum Unionist," I still think it an imposition to dock married, workers on the basic wage one day's pay for the earthquake sufferers. When wealthy institutions are not giving in proportion, I do not think that workers who are always on the bread-and-butter line should .be asked to give a day's pay. There are no beg pardons as to whether you can afford it or not. You j"ust have to give because the majority have given (or you think they have or are going to) and you don't want to be a marked man. "Dinkum Unionist" did not come forward with one single argument to prove that Mr. Cook's advice was wrong. It is a most noticeable" fact that the workers can be allowed to be reduced to pauperism by unemployment and nobody cares a jot —at least the big institutions do not come to light. But let something out of the ordinary happen, and behoid shekels of gold come to hand from all sides. In my considered opinion the suffering and worry caused by unemployment in one year quite equal , that of the Napier earthquake, and if one could possibly follow unemployment to its last consequences the death-roll might even be higher—for wTio knows the suicides, accidents, diseases, etc., that have not been caused or assisted by the destitution following on inability to get a living? At the same time 1 wish the earthquake fund well. It is a worthy cause, and I have given to it myself, but I still think that this is an unfair method of collection. —I am, etc., BASIC WAGE-EARNER. [It should be pointed out that no official suggestion has been made that workers should give a day's pay, nor has this method of giving been followed except m a few instances. —Ed.]