INTIMIDATION ALLEGED

Greymouth Evening Star, 14 February 1934, Page 2

INTIMIDATION ALLEGED

RELIEF "STRIKE” CHARGE. [PER PRESS ASSOCIATION.] \ GISBORNE, February 14. An echo of the relief workers’ strike was heard at the Magistrate’s Court, this morning, when Joseph Beale, was ordered to come up for sentence if called on within 12 months, on a charge of intimidating a relief worker, Walter Tamatia. Evidence showed that the accused approached Tamatia and asked him if he didn’t know a strike was on, and accused him of scabbing. Beale adopted a threatening attitude and said there were half-a-dozen other men waiting round the corner. Being afraid of what. would happen, Tamatia then knocked off work. Beale denied that he had threatened Tamatia in any way, and said he had merely discussed the strike with him.

“In this case actions speak louder than words,” said Magistrate Walton. “Accused had no business to approach the other man at all. Whatever was said the result was that Tamatia became frightened and left the job.” MARCHERS’ TRANSPORT. WELLINGTON, February 14. Mr Hamilton announced, to-day, that arrangements had been made for a second class carriage to be made available on to-day’s express for Napier, to convey the Gisborne marchers back, and for motor lorries to transport them from Napier to Gisborne. He expressed the opinion that the men had been badly led, but said it was not desired further to penalise them oi’ increase their difficulties, although the method they followed in representing their grievances was looked upon with disfavour. FARM LABOUR AND CAMPS. WELLINGTON, February 14. The admissions that the shortage of farm labour has been due to some extent to single men’s relief camps, was made by Mr Bromley of the Unemployment Board, in a letter read at the meeting of the executive of the New Zealand Farmers’ Union, to-day. He said that it was never the intention that relief schemes should result in men ceasing to seek on the open market such employment as was offering, whether farm or other work, and to relieve the position, the Board some four months back, decided that except in special circumstances, no additional single men’s camps be established, and that the members then in camp be not increased. As the works then in hand were completed, and the camps were to be closed down, and this policy had been carried out. Certifying officers were informed it was part of their duties to keep in close touch with the labour market, and 'make every effort to meet any demand for labour, no matter of what class. The letter closes with the assurance that in the event of any man without some good and sufficient reason, refusing to accept ordinary employment available, his name would be removed from the register, and he would not be offered further relief assistance under the Board’s schemes. COUNTRY ALLOCATIONS. HAWERA, February 14. Steps towards combined action against the Unemployment Board's discrimination between town and country relief allocations were taken at a meeting of the Hawera Unemployment Committee. The Mayor (Mr J. E. Campbell) Chairman of the Committee was requested to convene a conference of Mayors of Taranaki for the purpose of arranging public meeting of protest, and suggest that petitions be circulated in their districts, the Mayors to form a deputation to the Prime Minister. Mr Campbell was further requested to circularise local bodies outside the province with a view to securing cooperation in the national protest, and to suggest that the delegates to the Municipal Conference at Wellington in March, join the deputation to Mr Forbes. Mr Campbell is also to ask various bodies to circulate public petitions, requesting that the allocations be on the same basis throughout the Dominion.