MILLERTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 25 May 1935, Page 7

MILLERTON NOTES

(Our Own CcrresyunJa-;;!..) The Ranger Rugby Seniors travelled to Wuimangaroa on Saturday last to play the United team and defeated them by 25 points to nil. Ranger Rugby Juniors travelled to Mokihinui to play the juniors of that township and won by 11 points to 5. Ihe local Gir’s’ Hockey team were to have played Mokihinui Girls on Mav 17th, but owing to adverse weather the game had to be postponed. The Millerton Miners’ Union Execu-' five held their fortnightly meeting in the Union Office on May 21st. ° Mrs R. Jack has returned to the Hill after visiting her son. Mr. T. Jack of Dunedin. Mr. W. Clarke (President of Ihe Millerton Afiners’ Union) is on the sick list, having sustained a minor injury at his work. The Caledonian Society held their week'y Whist Drive on Afay 21st. Airs. H. Alulgrave won the ladies’ prize, and Air T. Calder the men’s. The Unemployed Workers’ Union met on ATay 20th. The' attendance was very good and if the members continue to roll up as well, the Union shall soon become 100 per cent, organised. It was decided to accord a vote of appreciation 1o Mr. Potts (secretary of Westport Branch), for information supplied by letter. The delegates on the deputation who interviewed Hon. S. G. Smith and Air. AV. Bromlev on Afay 10th, stated Mr. R. Jack, repre

'■'■nted the Alillerton Afiners’ Union. Air. T. Clarke, Stockton ATiners’ a net Air TT. L. Evans. Bul'er Central Committee, while Afesdanios H. Stanley an.! W. Watson, junr., and Messrs T. Grace and R. McGregor were the delegates on behalf of the unemployed on the 11 HI. Mr. McGregor touched on points raised by the Afiners’ delegates and

stated they had certainly done justice to the confidence placed in them I>y the men bv the efficient manner they had stated their rnso. Jack and Evans touched on the disfranchisement of workers in Hie Buller area. The Minister stated this did not come under his Department, but he would forward the information on to his colleague. Air. J. Clarke put the case on behalf of the young gir’s between the ages of 1G and 20 years. Afr. McGregor spoke on behalf of the prospectors and mentioned that some pros ; pectors were oven worse off than some No. 5 Scheme workers. At this point of the, discussion the speaker had also mentioned the conditions of the children going to school on the Hill, also the children attending the Jubilee celebrations at Westport in thin dresses and gym. shoes with their toes protruding and evidently suffering through cold. There -was no previous reference to this in the press, and it was stated a person present at the deputation sug gested it should not l»e published. Tf there were cases like this in the district, it was only through the press thev con’d be exposed.

The Alinister had slated that the only remedy he could see was to take the unemployed off Hie Hills, and place them in some useful work. The maj ority of the dole workers in the cnuritrv were doing useful work before the crisis arrived and it was because there was no useful work at. present that there were so many unemployed in New Zealand. To take unemployed off the Hill and place them elsewhere did not seem to be any remedy, when every township in New Zea’and have a. surplus of unemployed workers. Afr. T. Grace stated the case generally for the’ unemployed, touching on the extra cost of living on the Hill compared with the cost of living in the cities. Tie also touched on the eases of the prospectors who had had deducted part of their earnings through no fault of their own. Airs. Watson and Mrs. Stanley argued well mi behalf of the unemployed dependents on the Hill, staling it was impossible for the children to go round in cotton dresses and no boots when the cold weather was coming on. There also was a. very scanty milk ration. It was estimated that 22 families with dependents numbering 100, could only buy one pint of milk per day. The. Minister had stated that it was very distressing to see the children in the Buller district going around with their little toes out of their shoes, but Hie difficultv was to find Hie necessary money. Mrs. Stanley had replied: “No, but you can find plenty of money for armaments.” The deputation had loft after Afr. P. C. Webb had thanked the Minister for receiving the various speakers. The unemployed delegates stated that they had certainly received a very sympathetic hearing and if that counted for anything the Afillerton unemployed should receive some consideration.