RELIEF WORKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 91, 14 October 1931, Page 8

RELIEF WORKERS

(To the Editor.)

Sir, —Your report covering the Unemployment Committee meeting in your issue last . cuing makes reference to remarks made by Mr. J. I. Goldsmith concerning the relief workers' organisations. Apparently Mr. Goldsmith takes exception _to the relief, workers forming'an organisation for their own protection, and we cannot understand the viewpoint of this gentleman when one considers that Mr. Goldsmith is a member of various organisations himself, and surely he does not deny the right of the relief workers to form an organisation in an attempt to better their conditions.

We wish to flatly coutradiet the veiled insinuation that the General Labourers' Union is in any way obtaining any advantage from such an- organisation: o£ relief workers. As a matter of fact, the General Labourers' Union has very generously assisted us to' form an organisation at some considerable expense to itself. The General Labourers' Union does not receive one penny from any funds contributed by the relief workers to their own organisation. We are not associated with the Unemployed Workers' Movement, the so-called "People's Movement," or any other organisation with Communistic entanglements. Our membership consists of the genuine relief workers who realise that it is only by organisation and the proper representation of our case that we will achieve any improvements in our conditions, but should the relief workers desire to join up with any of these organisations, we certainly have no objection, as it is a matter entirely for themselves, and neither we nor Mr. Goldsmith have a right to dictate to them what they should do. We have been on deputations to the Government and to the Local Committee, and wo have been told on every hand that very little can be done for us, and surely then we have the right as free citizens to organise and attempt to do something for ourselves. We wish to take this opportunity of thanking the General Labourers' Union, and especially Mr. P. M. Butler, secretary of that organisation, for unselfish efforts on our behalf, as it was by his initiative, with the co-operation of the members of the Labourers' Union, that, we have been given the basis of an organisation which promises to do much to alleviate the distress in our ranks.

Amongst the members of our organisation are men who have previously held positions of trust in the community. These men and their comrades are clear and intelligent thinkers who do not wish to be associated with a rowdy element, but who will conscientiously and in a proper manner attempt to overcome the difficulties which are facing the relief workers to-day, and it ill becomes Mr. Goldsmith to attempt to dissuade any man from combining with his fellow-workers in a proper organisation which has .been formed in the sole interests of the relief workers.

This is a long letter, but we sincerely hope, Sir, that you will find space for its inclusion in "The Post," as no doubt there are a. number of men and women who ntay unthinkingly associate this organisation with those who are making <x lot of noise and using the unemployment problem as a means for political propaganda without offering any co-operation or assistance for the elimination of the causes of our distress.—On behalf of the Executive of the Relief Workers' Section, General Labourers. C GRAYNDLER. J. A. SWEENEY. N. L. LEMAN.

A motion of sympathy with Jlv. H. A. Ryder in the recent death of his son, Mr. L. Ryder, was passed by the T'etonc and Lower Hutt Gas Lighting Board at its meeting last night. The late Mr. Ryder was in the employment of thf. board.