UNEMPLOYMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21634, 1 February 1934, Page 11

UNEMPLOYMENT

GISBORNE MARCHERS' PROGRESS [Per United Press Association.] OTAKT, February 1. The Gisborne unemployed marchers arrived at Otaki this morning, and are camping just outside the town. They are to hold a meeting to-night. STRIKE BALLOT IGNORED IN SOUTHLAND [Per United Press Association.] INVERCARGILL, January 31. Mr Marchant, secretary of the Provincial Council of the Southland relief workers’ organisation, representing practically all relief workers, declared that the effort of the National Unemployed Workers’ movement to take a strike ballot in Southland was ignored, and the message from Palmerston North on Tuesday was an attempt to stampede the relief workers. REDUCTION IN ALLOWANCES MASTERTON OPPOSITION [Per United Press Association.] MASTERTON, January 31. The Masterton Unemployment Committee, by a majority of two, carried the following resolution:—“ This’ committee is of the opinion that the decrease in the relief workers’ allowances is not in the best interest of the dominion, and urges that the relief rates of 1933 be restored.” RESERVES DEPARTMENT Group No. 604 will report for work at 8 a.m. to-morrow at the Opoho Football Ground. PROTEST AGAINST CONDITIONS NATIONAL STRIKE NEXT WEEK As a combined protest against the conditions enforced upon the relief workers, a national strike is to take effect from Monday next. In Dunedin a mass meeting of workers is to ‘be held on the Oval on Sunday afternoon to announce the results of the national ballot recently taken, and to elect a strike committee. To be attended by members of Parliament, representatives of local bodies, trade unionists, and relief workers, a meeting has been convened for next Thursday night. This will be held in the Town Hall, and the mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox) is to preside. Four speakers have been selected, and it is intended to move a protesting against the conditions of tue workers, to be sent to Wellington to go before the House. QUEEN CARNIVAL ACCOUNTS FINAL STATEMENTS PRESENTED Mr J. J. Marlow presided over a meeting yesterday of the Executive Committee, together with representatives of the four queen committees connected with the queen carnival, which was held some months ago in aid of the mayor’s relief fund. The meeting was called for the purpose of presenting the various statements of accounts, and of explaining the position ns it stood when all matters pertaining to the carnival activities had been finally disposed of. The Chairman added that the delay in winding up affairs had occurred because an amended statement had been required of one of tbe committees, and this had come to hand only just before the Christmas holidays. Since then it had been found impossible to get tbe full committee together until the present week. Mr Marlow asked the acting honorary treasurer (Mr F. R. Grindley) to read the statements received from the queen committees. Mr Grindley also read the statement compiled by him for the executive showing the net amount paid over to the Unemployed Relief Committee to have been £4,797 6s 3d. At the request of two representatives of queen committees the Chairman explained that the reason the amount credited to the cinema queen at the dose of the contest (£1,602) had been

reduced to £1,463 was that that particular committee had found it had paid in error a cheque for £100; the balance, lie said, represented liabilities which had been overlooked. After some discussion the statements as read were approved for publication, with the exception of that of the executive, which it was agreed on the motion of Mrs W. Ross, seconded by Mr H. L. Paterson, to amend in order that the refunds made to the Cinema Queen Committee after the closing date should bo shown, the acting lion, treasurer to append a note explaining the nature of the refunds. Eulogistic references were made by several speakers to the very fine work done by Mr Marlow in the capacity ot chairman of the executive, and on the motion of Mr Paterson, seconded by His Worship the Mayor (Rev. E. T. Cox), a cordial vote of thanks was accorded Mr Marlow. Reference was also made to the good services rendered by the members of tbe executive and others who had assisted to make the carnival a success. MONEYS RECEIVED. The statement of receipts and payments shows that the following amounts were handed in by the committees: Civic queen, £1,633 19s 8d; cinema queen. £1,463 11s 9d; services queen, £B7l 8s lOd ; sports queen. £773 19s 3d. The profit from the coronation ceremony amounted to £2lB 9s 3d, and the refund by committees on advertising £194 19s 6d. The total payments amounted to £359 Bs, leaving a balance paid into the mayor’s fund of £4,797 6s 3d. Anyone wishing to see the statements sent in by the committees may do so at the town clerk’s office.