UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD

Greymouth Evening Star, 15 November 1930, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD

AUCKLAND UNIONS’ ATTITUDE.

[special to “star.”]

AUCKLAND, November 14. The long smouldering difference between two controlling sections of the Labour industrial movement, the Alliance of Labour and the Trades Labour Council have burst into a nie of controversy over the oP e^ atl °“ ° the Unemployment Act. The attitude of the Alliance as defined in the telegraphed messages from Wellington is obstructive, on account of the method proposed to be followed in the selection of the workers’ representatives on the Unemployment Board, but the Council although they may not be satisfied with either the Act or the method of selection, are determined to see the legislation function, so that the will receive without delay what relief it can afford. Inquiries made in Auckland, this morning showed that the executive of the Trades and Labour Council supports the stand against the Alliance taken by the Wellington Council, and the Secretaries of the Unions interviewed, although regretting that “dirty linen should be washed in public,” indicated that no heed would be taken of the advice given by the Alliance. The point was made also that the members of the Trades and Labour Council easily outweighs that ot the Alliance and Unionists were

urged to support the operation of the Act and the payment of the levy. “In my opinion it would be useless to boycott the Act, simply because everything in it is not to our liking, said Mr J. Purtell, Secretary of various local Trade Unions, when discussing the published messages from Wellington on the subject. “The only remedy is to have the legislation amended during the next session of Parliament. With reference to the suggestion that some members of Unions will not pay the levy, I do not think the Alliance of Labour has any authority for making such a statement, no resolution of that nature has been passed in Auckland to my knowledge. It would be tlm height of insanity to do now, anything that would kill the act. I certainly suggest that Unions should pay the levy and that everything possible should be done to have work provided without delay. On all the divisions taken during the open conference, we defeated the Alliance of Labour and there was no resolution suggesting that the Act shuld be boycotted.” Mr Purtell said he endorsed the statement of the position as set out in the message issued by the Wellington Trades and Labour Council. An intimation that the advice of the Alliance would be ignored by his Union, was given by Mr R. F. Banter, Secretary of the Amalgamated Engineers’ Union, who insisted that the main objective was to secure thq operation of the Unemployment Act

without delay. The views expressed by Mr Banter were endorsed by Mr J. Sutherland, Secretary of the General Labourers Union which has a membership of 2000. “I certainly do not agree with the attitude the Alliance of Labour has adopted,” he said, “men out of work have to receive employment or sustenance, how ever it may be provided, but apparently the Alliance does not want the men to get sustenance. The General Labourers’ Union is not affiliated to the Alliance of Labour, but to the Trades and Labour Council and in regard to the operation of the Unemployment Act it whole-heartedly supports the Council and not the Alliance, whose attitude shows it has very little hope of its nominees being appointed to the Unemployment Board as the workers representatives and my organisation is harder hit than any other by unemployment,” said Mr Sutherland, and although the Act is not everything, we desire our main objective is to see the men out of work, obtain relief with the least possible delay.” The position apprentices find themselves in as a result of the prevailing depression, was referred to this morning by Mr R. F. Banter, Secretary of the Amalgamated Engineers’ Union, who said that Labour members of Parliament would be ask ed to seek next session an amendment of the Bankruptcy Act for the safeguarding of apprentices.

TE ANAU SHIFT INVERCARGILL, November 14. News that forty of the men employed on the Te Anau relief works are to be discharged on November 18, and to be replaced by another forty, came as a surprise to those dealing with the unemployment question here. Recently, advice was received from Mr. de la Perrelle that forty men would be placed on the Te Anau works, and this was interpreted as meaning that an additional forty men would then be employed. On receipt of the Public Works Department’s decision to engage a fresh batch of forty men, the Mayor telegraphed to the Minister of Works, stating that he understood that the men at Te Anau were incensed at the proposal, adding that the situation here demanded that additional provision be made urgently for unemployment works. Messages were also sent by tne Mayor to Mr. de la Perelle and to Mr. H. E. Holland, M.P.

THE LATEST FIGURES. WELLINGTON, November 13. There was an increase of 352 compared with the previous week in the number of unemployed registered in New Zealand for the week ended Monday, according to a statement by the Minister of Labour (the Hon. S. G. Smith) to-day. The week’s total was 6432. Details of registrations at Labour bureaux and post offices are:—

The total for the five centres (with the figures for the previous week in parentheses) are: —Auckland, 2023 (1903); Wellington, 901 (804); Christchurch,- 1072 (1024); Dunedin, 491 (508); Invercargill, 172 (148). •

With Without Dependents. Dependents. Auckland , 1151 872 Wellington 500 401 Christchurch 729 343 Dunedin 331 130 Invercargill 119 53