WEST COAST MAY DAY

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 103, 3 May 1932, Page 9

WEST COAST MAY DAY

MINERS AT WESTPORT

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WESTPORT, 2nd May. May Day celebrations of the" West Coast mining communities -were-held to-day, when Millerton miners and. their wives came to Westport. Here they intervened in a conference between tho Hospital Board and Labour delegates, and one of the women delivered an emotional, appeal, in the course of which she fainted. The Millerton people afterwards : went home in:'sup-plied-transport. ; '■... The .Millerton . contingent came to Westport about 200 strong—miners with wives and families..".. They held a demonstration in Victoria Square, where: addresses were delivered .' by members of the Miners' TJaion in "reference to the distress in Millerton, and by executive members of the Unemployed Union on the working-class movement. " ' - , FIVE-YEAR^PLAN ADMIRED. One of the members lauded1 .the. Soviet Five-Year Plan as an example on which New Zealand's industrial system should be built. .■ ■At 3.30 p.m. delegates mot members of the Buller Hospital Board at a special meeting at the Town Hall and urged, that further relief begiven! owing to the acute distress on the "hill." Meantime a large crowd demonstrated outside, singing the "International" and "The Bed Flag." Becoming impatient, they stormed the meeting inside the Town Hall, the demonstrators being led by women, who harangued the acting-chairman and board members, demanding food. ■ ■ .. A woman, in the course- of an impassioned appeal on.; behalf of "the starving women and children,"- said they must have relief or they,■would not be responsible for their actions. She.fell in a faint on tho'table, was revived, and continued, net.istormy.appeal, supported by a pandemonium of cries and screeches from the other demonstrators. '■;. -' : ■-•.'-.■• ■-. minces' Resident TACTFtrii. Mr. Clark, president of the Miller ■ ton Miners' Union, addressing the gathering, stated they had'placed the matter in the hands of the executive, and he asked them to curb' their impatience and retire for ten minutes while the delegates continued their eonfeTgnee with the board. ■" ' - ' ". ■- After furtKer protests and cries, "We have had' no food tOTday!" "Our bellies are empty!" ' and 'threats of trouble if their present requests' weronot complied with, the: stormy demonstration withdrew and the conference continued.' . ■ • : ■■"--.■.•■■•.-■. ■', \ !■■' The board agreed to■'... is^ue docketsto 75 applicants, for whom previous appeals had been made, and also to deal with other applications on-their merits. ..''...- : ';. "■'■■-. : Messrs. Clark and Adams then addressed the crpwd outside, stating the decision which had been arrived at and counselling the people to disperse quietly, leaving whatever further action'was necessary in the hands of the executive. '■■■:'?

The injunction was obeyed, the crowd dispersing and later leaving for Millerton in cars and buses supplied for the occasion by business people and others. •■■-..'•