Married Men

Grey River Argus, 7 June 1933, Page 5

Married Men

PROTEST AGAINST CAMPS. WELLINGTON, Juno 6. An emphatic protest against the proposal to send married relief work' ers into camps was made at a large meeting of women in the Town Hall concert chamber to-night. The atmosphere was a little heated at times and feelings were vented freely, the principal contention being that the institution of camps would tend to break up the homo and family life. At the close of ] roceedings :i roso lution of protest was carried unani mously affirming that, it was imperative that fathers be present in their homes, ami that if the proposal were* given effect it would break up homes, and extend hardships already being exj erienced.

! Tho mooting theridori l nr.-’od the I Government to abandon the proposal, 'and to organise works in Wellington district so that m :iI ‘ ~i f ' d relief workers .may be employed in places rnab" ling them to reach their homos every night. Tho Government was also urged to increase allocations to enable reliefers to earn sufficient to maintain their

MINISTER’S APPEAL. WELLINGTON, Juno 6. In the course of a lengthy statement in regard to the offer of relief work in Public Works camps, the Alinister of Employment to-day said he appreciated the fact that it would be a real hardship to many relief workers to undertake camp life, but there was no intention to attempt to force such mon to do so if their circumstances were considered to warrant their remaining at home, but there * were many workers to whom these works meant no hardship. On the other hand, it was very difficult for the Board to justify the granting of relief to able-bodied men, who demand to remain at partially useless work in the cities, when sufficient men are not available for these useful productive public works.

| He appeals both to the public and the men themselves to sec that necessary labour is supplied to these public works and in order that a bettor spirit might prevail, the Board, to enable these works of public importance to be fully manned, is quite prepared to withhold for a. reasonable time the question of imposing any penalty, lie trusted that the appeal would be effective. BOOTMAKERS’ OBJECTION. AUCKLAND, June 6. A unanimous protest against the action of the Unemployment Board in arranging for the distribution of boots ami shoes to relief workers, through channels other than the retail trade, was made at a general meeting of Auckland retailers. “Aly experience,” said (he Chairman, “is that onc-e Government officials start a scheme like this, they push on with it, without thought as to its effect on trade, and if this scheme is successful it may be extended to other trades.”