UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 17 July 1933, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

STRIKE COLLAPSE AT HASTINGS. [pee press association.] HASTINGS, July 17. Th e relief workers’ strike, the leaders of which have been aiming at converting into a. national strike of unemployed, collapsed this morning after lasting three weeks. Out of 750 eligible to work under No. 5 A scheme, 500 had either gone to work, or applied for work by eleven o’clock this morning. It is expected that, by to-morrow, few will not have applied. The gangs are working at many tasks actually in the borough, one being on a job next door to the hall where all the strike meetings have been held. The decision to return to work was not made at a formal meeting, but was apparently the outcome of a talk among the men themselves. UNION DISSENSIONS. WELLINGTON, July 16. Statements made at the meeting of the relief work strikers at Hastings last Friday, are challenged by the headquarters of the National Union of the Unemployed, at Wellington. Messrs. S. F. Vella (Secretary) and D. McLaughlin (Treasurer), of the National Union, say that official figures show there is small support for the strike. They state that, two delegates from Hawke’s Bay refused an invitation to inspect all of the National Union correspondence relating to the strike. They alleged that one delegate demanded immediate national action, threatening to go through New Zealand and ‘‘smash the National Union of Unemployed.” Action was not forthcoming. Messrs. Vella and McLaughlin state that the National Union will not be a party to misleading statements regarding the extent of the strike. Telegrams giving a. false impression of the activity in other centres had reached Wellington. This method'of arranging action was discouraged by the National Executive.

BOARD RE-APPOINTMENTS. WELLINGTON, July 15. Three members of the Unemployment Board, Messrs Jessep (DeputyChairman), P. R. Climie and W. Bromley, are due to ret ire at the end of the present, month on the expiry of their two years' term. It is understood that the three members will be re-appoint-ed. CAMPER SURPRISED. [to the editor.] Sir, —Having been out to the single men’s camp for months, I was more than surprised to find that there was no reason to go there. Single men, who have been refused work on the dole hero, are getting plenty of food from the unemployed depot; in fact, one man told me to wake up, and said that he was bettor off now than over ho was —no work, plenty of food, boots mended, etc. Rather good news to take back Io the camp. 1 am, etc., "SINGLE MAN.”