STOCKTON NOTES

Grey River Argus, 29 May 1935, Page 7

STOCKTON NOTES

(Our Own Correspondent.) Word has been received from the Unemployment Board, per Mr W. Bromley, that a scheme is being brought into being whereby the men onititled to intermittent work will be given a greater facility to work out the respective allocations. Hitherto, mine employees were entitled to so many day’s work, but could no»t take advantage of the sehemq, due to the fact that the returns from some of the coal companies would not allow 'the men to present their *chedule of earnings. The following .letter has been received from the. Secretary of the Buller Hospital Board, re. the proposed allowance by that body ‘to the Stockton Medical Association. —“Dear Sir. — In reference to your ilctter of the 15th instant], I have to notify my approval of your B ; oard making grants during the current financial year to the Stockton Medical Association to assist it* finances on occasions when; through loss of timq. 'the Association receives no contributions from members, the aggregate of .such grants not to exceed £2OO for the year.” (Signed; J. A. Young, Minister of Health. The above lettter was sent by the Miniater of Health to the Chairman of the Buller Hospital Board. The following letter was subsequently received by the Secretary of the Stockton Medical Association: —“Dear Sir. —Further to my letter of the Bth instant, conveying a resolution, of the Board (Buller Hospital Board) passed at a special committee meeting held on the 4th in*fant 1 have to advise, in accordance with the (terms of that resolution, the Chairman interviewed the Minister and Di-rector-General of Health and was partially successful in his mission to endeavour to obtain a subsidy for the current year of £250 —one half of 'the Doctor’s salary. I enclose herewith a copy of the letter from the Minister from which, you will see that the Board is authorised Ito pay one-half for any month in which there is a “blank” pay. As you had a blank pay in 'April payment of one-half the salary for that month, has been passed for payment. A voucher for the amqjmt is now made out and you will receive a cheque within the next few days. Yours G. M. Powell,. Secretary.” So the po*ition is this; The Association will get £2O 16s 8d for April, and if there are no more blank pays this year,, then the hopes of geting anything from the Hospital Board are very slender indeed. The deputation from the Stockton Medical Association were under a very different impression on May 4th, when the unanimous reyoluition was carried (in the deputation’s presence) that the money so sanctioned would be placed to the c-edit of the Association without any tags. But, perhaps the deputation did r.ot allow for any electioneering be hind the unanimity of the Hospital Board members on that particulai even.ng. St’s the old tale over again of “the spider and the fly.” The Stockton employees for year* have had •i sick fund in operation, and have ju a large number of cases carried responsibilities belonging to the Hospital Board. In addition (to that, the mine has worked ss than half-time for the past five years. The remedy for all these thing* is to place worksig class candidaites in charge of the Hospital Board. We get what we deserve, both from a local and national viewpoint. Economy does not lie in sparing money hut in spending it wisely. The five per cent, restoration on toCal earnings will take place from the first full-pay of the present month. The mine resumed operations on ■Monday, after the u*ual week of idleness. The following are the rates for men enliitled to intermittent work.—Single mem Class A, 10s per week; Married men,. Class B>, wife, no children, 18s; married men, Class C, wife and one child,, £1 2s; married men, Class D. wife and two children, £1 6*; married men, Class El, wife and three children. £1 10s; married men, Class F. wife and four children( £1 12s; married men, Class G), wife and five children, £1 14s; married men/, wife and six children, £1 16s; married men, wife and seven children, £1 18s. " Men in the mines, timber camp* and wharf workers are allowed to earn in three months, what, a relief worker earns in four months, plus a tool and light allowance of 9s 3d per week. The above information will be handy to those who arc entitled to get intermittent work under the scheme for the above-memtioned workers.

A meeting of the Stockton Rugby Club was held on Sunday at 3.30 p.m.,. in the Stockton Hall. Owing to the President and Secretary being absent, Mr H. L. Evans was voted to the chair, and Mr W. Battershall, acted ay secretary. A letter was dealt with from ■the Secretary of the Domain Board re. the use of the ground, etc., and it was decided to make application for the playing area in the usual manner. After some discussion it was decided to ask the Domain Board Ito make an endeavour to get the playing area attended tq it being understood that an offer has been made re. getting some men on the No. 5 Scheme to attend to the Board’* requirements. The Secretary and President were requested to make the necssary arrangements for the team’s away games. The selectors will make an endeavour to select the team on Thursdays of each week. A general meeting of the Stockton Miners’ Union was held in the Stockton half, Mr F. Connew presiding. Several compensation cases came up for discussion,, and it was agreed to deal with tihese on lines in the best interests of the members concerned. An appeal from the Millerton Unemployed Union for support for a demo-nytratiou on the King’s birthday, in Westport, did not meet with the support necessary to make the demonstration a success. but to the fact that there are so many other attraction* on that day. A deputation was appointed to interview the manager with a view to getting some improvement in the tipping of household coal, also to deal with the question of procuring the electric lamps at a cheaper rate. As the change over takes place on Monday, it means qui'te an expense to purchase the necessary lampq particularly as times are so bad. The deputation succeeded in obtaining a small concession in the prices.

Thelma Rees, daughter of Mr and Mrs D. J. IR-eeq, was taken to the Westport Hospital last week, and after the operation for appendicitis, way in a rather low state. However, the patient has shown signs of improvement ‘this week-end, thus relieving the anxiety of the parents. Messrs Morganty, Goodard and Aldridge are still inmates of the Buller Hospital and are all improving. , A meeting of the Election Committee was held in the Miners’ Union office, Millerton on Tuesday evening,

to finalise the business of the recent County and Hospital Board alection. Quite a cold snap was experienced here during the past week. The surrounding hills have a heavy coating of snow.