SINGLE MEN’S CAMPS

Grey River Argus, 15 February 1934, Page 6

SINGLE MEN’S CAMPS

BOARD’S TWIST For Cheaper Farm Labour (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, February 14. 'The admissions that the shortage of farm labour has been due to some exlent to the .-ingle men’s relief camps, was made by Mr Bromley of the ’Unemployment Board, in a letter read at the meeting <»f the executive of Hie New Zealand Farmers’ Union, to-day. He .-aid that it was never the intention that relief scheme- should result in the men ceasing to seek on the open market such employment as was I offering, whether farm or other work. To relieve the position, the Board some four months bark, decided that except in special circum-dances, no additional .single men’s camps be established. . and that the members then in eamp be not increased. As the works then in hand were completed, the camps I were to be clo-ed down. This policy had been carried out. Certifying ofiiI cer- were informed it was part of their duties to keep in close touch • with the labour market. and make i every effort to meet any demand for labour, no matter of what class. ; ’'J’he letter closes with the assurance ! that in the event of any man without L some good and sufficient reason, refusing to accept ordinary employment available, his name would be removed from the register, and he would not ' l.e offered further relief assistance Older the Board’s schemes. TARANAKI ATTACK. (IN ALLOCATION CT’TK ; HAWRRA, February 14. Steps toward combined action against the I’nein ploy meat Board '- r discrimination between town and cuunj. trv relief allocations were taken a*. : •. meeting of the Hawera Unemployment Committee. The -Mayor (Mr J. E. (’ampbell). Chairman of the Committee, was requested to convene n conference of Mayors ol Taranaki lo 1 ' the purpose of arranging public mcet- - iug of protest, and suggest that poti lions be circulated in their districts. - tin- Mayors to form a deputaiion to the Prime Minister. Mr ('ampbell was further requested ’ to circularise local bodies outside the province with a view to securing co ’ operation in the national- prote-t. and to sugge<l that the delegate- to i IoMunicipal Conference at Wellington in March join the deputation to Mr 1 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. POVERTY BAY STRIKERS.

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 convev the Gisborne marchers back, and for motor lorries to transport them from Napier to Gisborne. He expressed the poinion that the. men had been badly led, but said it was not desired further to penalise them or increase their difficulties, tHthough the method tboy followed in representing their grievances was looked upon with disfavour. 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 accused asked Tamatia il 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 knocked off work. Beale denied he threatened Tamatia, and said he 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. ’