HUTT UNEMPLOYED

Hokitika Guardian, 25 January 1932, Page 5

HUTT UNEMPLOYED

REASON FOR THE STRIKE. A QUESTION OF PAYMENT. (By Ttleyrapk —Per Press Association) WELLINGTON, January 24. In connection with the unemployed trike in the Mutt Valley. Mr Jas. Roberts, the Secretary of the N.Z. Alliance of Labour, said yesterday: “The Alliance of Labour must be opposed to men being paid on Saturday when it is too late for them to get food for Sunday. The men whom wo met seemed to be very reasonable.” He added: “We are quite willing to adopt any reasonable attitude. Two spokesmen were appointed on the job. The butcher’s shops were to be closed on Saturday, and the men wanted to know if they could receive their money in time to buy their week’s goods. The answer the. men received was that “they would get their money when they got it.” I think that is unreasonable. Public bodies who are getting their work done cheaply o,ut of public money subscribed by the citizens of the Dominion should show sympathy towards the unemployed. There i s no necessity for pinpricking or anything of that kind.”

MEN STILL OUT

- POSITION AT PETONE. WELLINGTON, January 24. No men at all Were on the Lower Hutt relief works again yesterday. It is stated that about twenty of the others approached the yards this morning with the evident intention of seeking work, but they were met by others and were persuaded to desist.

Otherwise, the position in I-etone is not clear, as both yesterday and today were off days on the relief works, but the Mayor of Petone stated today that as far as lie knows the Detune men are not involved in the dispute'. and as, under the present circumstances, the men will not be asked to go to Eastbourne, which already has been declared black. He does not anticipate any cessation of work by the Petone men.

RELIEF WORKERS MEET. MARRIED MEN TO BLAME. A meeting of the Lower Hutt relief workers was held this morning, when, according to an official statement issued, delegates from Eastbourne and Petone were incorporated in the Lower Hutt Executive. Delegates were appointed before a mass meeting of the Wellington unemployed on Tuesday night. A resolution was passed protesting against the local branch of the Red Cross selling donated garments and demanding revision of the policy. Mr J- Sand ford, representative of the Dominion Organisation of the Unemployed Workers Movement, addressed the gathering and he promised the support of the Organisation throughout New Zealand. A Provisions Committee was set up to collect provisions, and later reported that there was a good response ns also did a Cash Collection Committee, which had been canvassing the business people. Mr Sergent who supplied this received the collectors with sympathy. The sum of £4 was collected at the meeting and was utilised tor the immediate needs of nceeessitous eases. An offer of a conveyance for carrying the provisions was accepted, as was also the offer of an empty bakehouse, the organisation hoping to be able to do their own baking.

Mr Sergent stated that the meeting was a most enthusiastic bne, and the proceedings closed with the singing 01 “The Bed Flag.” The decision to knock off work is nob pleasing to any of the men. A reporter was told that this decision was reached in an “aye” and a theoretical “no” vote, and that had a ballot been taken, the result would have been quite different.

To a great extent it was stated, the married men bad themselves to blame for allowing the position to develop. A majority of the married men wanted to carry on.