UNEMPLOYMENT

Evening Star, Issue 21784, 28 July 1934, Page 11

UNEMPLOYMENT

RELIEF WORKERS' REQUESTS 'reply from works committee Dealing with a number of requests brought forward by a deputation from tho ; Unemployment District Council of Otago, the Works Committee has prepared a report which it will submit to the City Council meeting on Wednesday, night The;>.-requests were:— (a) That the members of group 367 and' another group who were ordered to Sullivan Dam to shovel snow ; be paid at standard rates. .. i ?■ (b) That all gumboots be disinfected and dried after use before being ireissued to men. ic) That adequate shelters bo pro-vided-on all jobs. . , .1 ■ (d) That latrines be provided'on jail

That a complete revision', of the arrangements for dealing with wet days 'i be made with the object of providing a ■■ more expeditious and equitable system ; from the men’s point of view. The committee reports that prac- ;' tically' all groups wore called upon to ' shovel snow at some time during the ': week in which the snow fell, and under the ■ circumstances ■ existing this was considered to be quite reasonable work - to be carried out under scheme No. 5. As to" gumboots, in general, these are , dried Vben required, but disinfection V ’ is unnecessary, according to medical opinioir. It is impracticable tp provide shelters on jobs where. the nature of - the work is of short;duration/ but ■ authority has been given fpr one to ■be provided at the new Signal Hill ; road job. As in the case of shelters, ; it is ‘impracticable to provide latrines ,; on all jobs. With few exceptions, they ' have been provided on as many jobs •as it is practicable to do so. Regard- ' ing wet days, the present practice of ■ having a central authority deciding ,' whether a day is to be declared “ wet ’’ or riot seems to he necessary for adrainistrative purposes. To leave this decision to the ganger would be quite

■ impracticable. The notifying of groups . that a . day has Been declared' ‘‘ wet ” il is carried out as expeditiously as pos-; sible, taking into account the scattered ■; nature- of the work;- Men are not comi pelled, ' and in fact do not work during periods of heavy rain, and‘. in this . respect they are ip,a mucli.better,position than outside- workers in-general; ■ RESERVES CQMMITXEEJS RE- . v PORT.

Referring to the' sanie question, the :* report ■ ot the Reserves > Committee S states*— . :

Recessary attention will be' given to !; shelters anti iatnnes in cases where it "■is lound that reasonable - - facilities: are ; called lor and are not-now available, land the superintendent of TeserveS has . been instructed accordingly. : . : . i Withtregard to gumboots, the comihititee aware that'the ‘disinfecting ]ol gumboots is recommended by any ■j competent medical ; authority' On the :grountls of risk of. infection,..and, a$ a ; limiter; of fact, medical opinion, as 'far as known, appears to hold, the oppo-. . site -view. Adequate disinfection would ; present some difficulty as liquid could not well be used, but, quite apart from that aspect, the ‘ committee ‘ considers ‘ that the proposal-is unnecessary-and would, serve no good purpose. .

r CONFERENCE OF UNEMPLOYED^ A , conference of, the executives of, all i unemployed organisations, ' convened by the-, district Council- of Otago,; was, ; the Trades Hall on Thursday ■ evening. Mr G. Gcddes was elected chairman, pro tem,. The chairmaif outlined the purpose ■ of the ..conference, namely, to draft a :■ pulley 'suitable to the conditions of the ’ unemployed of Dunedin. •i The y conference was addressed by , ;Mr FfM'Comish, national secretary of ”the - National Unemployed Workers’ : ■ Movement, who explained the national h charter campaign which the National i Unemployed Workers’ Movement put “forward as a means of gaining im- ? proved ■ living and working conditions i; l'or employed and unemployed workers. ; He stated that the charter embraced i'ten ■; demands, including demands for : the total abolition of camps for the unemployed, the abolition of the small ; ; farm, . gold prospecting and subsidy . schemes, the abolition, of ' the Unem- ; ployineht Board and its replacement.byt 7-democratically elected committees. A : national standardised rate of pay for : unemployed was demanded on the basis of 14s per day,'together with a ■ non-contributory unemployment in- •; i surance scheme for all-workers, the funds for this to bd found from ther , profits- from industry and commercial , enterprise. The abolition of the Afbi-

. . tration' Court and Conciliation Coun;cil were also demanded, negotiations |in future to be between employers and 1 workers’ committees elected on the ! dobs. —The conference, after hearing ■Mr. M'Cotnish’s address, unanimously ■decided to. adopt the .charter demands ; ias the"-immediate policy of tho coun-.-cil.

! The conference discussed a remit ;frotu Dunedin North concerning the ■ Calling of a public meeting to protest against camps and general conditions, and it was decided to call a public meeting. The report of the number of men who had r ecaived notices to go to camp was received. A number of these men stated that they objected to being sent. Mr G. Dale moved that the council should co-operate with the Communist Party in arranging a demonstration against war and against general conditions.—This was carried. After the general business had been dealt with, Mr- M'Comish gave a brief talk on the method of carrying on the struggle against unemployment and its effects, and Mr 0. Gregory, of Palmerston North, gave a brief outline of the conditions in that centre. CONCERT AT SL KILOA To-morrow evening, in the Coronation Hall, St. Hilda, 'a splendid varied programme of vocal, instrumental, elocutionary, and humorous items will be presented in aid of the funds of the mayor’s relief depot. Mr H. 0. Stokes and his'famous banjo band will present new and popular music, ‘assisted . by such well-known artists as Mr E. Paris (tenor), Miss. -E. Leathley (soprano), Charles Abbott (comedian), Percy Moody (coon impersonator), and others. Seating accommodation is limited, and intending patrons are advised to come early to secure a seat. Admission is by silver coin only. NO 4. DISTRICT This ..-.evening, tho Social Committee of No. 4 district will be holding its 7»ppular dance in the South Dunedin Town Hall. Intending patrons arc assured of a most enjoyable evening amid ideal surroundings. This evening’s programme consists of old-time and modern dances. The music is sup-

plied by the Triumph Band, and there will be the ever-popular Monte Carlos. Last Saturday the Monte Carlo winners were Miss Marks and Mr Ferguson, also Mr and 'Mrs Gilmore, while on Thursday . the winners were Miss Lind and Sir Robertson, also Mr’mid Mrs Moody. The' admission is still '6d, while a small charge is made to those wishing to partake- of supper. i ■ ’ GROUPS TO REPORT WORKS DEPARTMENT. Group's to commence at 8 a.m. on Monday:— 203—Signal Hill road, one mile above M’Gregor street (meet at M’Gregor street at 8 a.m.). 209—South road, at Glen road.., 211—The following men of group 211 at Preston crescent, at Harcourt street:—F. Arab, E. R. Barclay, H. A. Clarke. B. Cleveland, V. G. S. Crawford, J. Dagg. ■ 211—. The balance of group 211 ; at English avenue, at Crosby street. 218— Union -street; at Logan Point quarry. 219 Portobello road, at bridge. 220 Fraser’s road, at j sanitary stables. ■ , ' 226—Silver ton street, at; Spottiswoode street- , 236—Otago Golf Club Lynh street. 254—E. O. Reilly’s farm, Signal Hill roach six chains above M‘Gregor street, i.': 305—Helensburgh road, five chains north of Balmacewen road. 310— M'Glashan street, at Neville street. 311— Glen road, at Haywood street. 312 Green Island Aerodrome site (meet Cavershajn railway station at 7-.5S a.in)., 321: —E. O. Reilly’s farm. Signal Hill ro;ul L six chains above M‘Gregor street; 325—Glen road, at Haywood street... ■ 341—Midland ’ street, at : sanitary stables. 386 Portobello road, at bridge. 387 E. O. Reilly’s farm, Signal Hill road, six chains above M'Gregor street. ■ 2,000 —Malvern street, at old sawmill. 2,oo2—Malvern street, at old sawmill. 4.000 — Woodhaugh street, at quarry. 4.001 — Woodhaugh’ street, at quarry. 4.002 — Woodhaugh street, at quarry. RESERVES DEPARTMENT. The following groups will report for work at 8 a.m. on Monday:— < 215, 225, r 320,' 368,' 514. and 708—At Woodhaugh Gaff ns. 406, 409, 410, 411, 412, 41 . 416 At Upper Gardens, Opoho. Ten men of 708-rrAt Logan Park. 91, 216. 300, 363, 365—At Montccillo Football Ground. .105, 108,: 110, 112, 114. 116, 222. 272. 371. 515. 709—At Chisholm Park. 229—At Rest Homo, Roslyn. 205—At Donaldson’s nursery, Ross Creek. . 224—At Central Mission. 62. 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69, 71, 75,78, 408—Standing down.