THE UNEMPLOYMENT QUESTION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XLIX, Issue 3831, 14 August 1928, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYMENT QUESTION.

DISCUSSED BY THE COUNCIL. POSITION .VIEWED WITH ALARM. At last night’s Borough Council meeting a letter was received from the Department of Labour re unemployment, asking that any applicants'for work to the Council be referred to the Postmaster for registration. MAYOR SUGGESTS GOVERNMENT SUBSIDY. The Mayor said local unemployment was a serious proposition. The question of relief had been discussed by the Hospital Board at its last meeting, and it was the duty of the Council to discuss the matter. Able bodied men are asking for charitable aid which had been granted, but the Hospital Board collected its revenue from the ratepayers who had to foot the bill. He suggested that the Government be approached and asked to subsidise the millers in some way. He felt sure such a proposal would receive the support of all other local bodies. When shipping strikes occurred in the Government stepped in and tried to remove the deadlock. The Mayor referred to his personal experience in connection w’ith relief to local unemployed. It was not much use asking men to register at unemployment bureaux. There wms a deadlock between the employees and the millers and something would have to be done to bring ajmut a settlement. ? WAGES OFFERED ABOVE GOVERNMENT RELIEF. Cr. Ross said it was no use appealing to the Government for a subsidy for the hemp industry when the millers were prepared to pay 13/6 a day to day labourers, while the Government relief workers were receiving only from 10/_- to 12/6 per day. The millers were quite prepared to start the mills if the men accepted 13/6 per day, and it was questionable whether it would pay the millers at the present price of hemp. Three years ago the International Harvester Co. took 3000 bales of N.Z. hemp, but to-day it took none, . sisal having usurped the N.Z. article. It was useless the officials of the Union holding out for the award wages, when the industry was going back in such a way. OPPOSED TO'BREAKING AWARD. Cr. Walker said the officials of the Union were opposed to breaking the Award, but he thought the meD would be well advised to Accept the millers’ offer and commence work, thereby relieving local unemployment and helping the industry. Cr. Rand said the millers gave no guarantee that the mills would be kept open if work was started. The men had suggested a sliding scale of wages, but this the millers had refused to accept. The Award had not been based op the price of hemp, but on the cost of living which had not altered since the Award was made. Cr. Thompson said the men would be wise to return to work at the wages offered. When the price of hemp rose the matter could easily be reviewed. The Mayor said if the sliding scale was the only obstacle the Government might assist in getting the millers to accept it. Cr. Walker said the millers could not be compelled to accept the sliding scale. It was decided that the Council views with alarm the deadlock existing between the flaxworkers and millers, and realising only too well the economic loss to the borough in particular, urges on both parties to approach the controversy in an amicable spirit. FLAXMILLING DEADLOCK. (To the Editor.) Sir. —As there has been a number of letters appearing in your columns in regard to the deadlock in the milling industry, as as I am freely being adjudged the father of the various letters, I will now put

aside my neutrality, and as you alone are the judge of the above, I will express my opinion of the merits, or demerits, of the deadlock. The millers claim they cannot mill on present prices. On the other hand, the Union (per its Secretary) claims they can mill at a profit, and demands production of the millers’ books, otherwise he claims the millers as a whole are untrustworthy. Now, Sir, on the statements made by the Secretary, I can arrive at no other conclusion than that he has been sadly lacking in his duty insofar that instead of allowing the present state of affairs to come about, he should have taken advantage of the law and hailed the millers as a body before the bar of justice, and there charged them with bringing about a lockout in the industry; and it’s there, and there only, will those books be produced that a verdict can be given. On the other hand, it will allow the Secretary, as an expert on costs, to show the Court that his statements are correct. To my mind the above is the only means, other than allowing % secret ballot of members of the Union, to end the present situation. If, as the Secretary claims, his statements are connect, his attitude will have been justified, but if, on the other hand, the verdict of the Court is in favour of the millers, then his attitude will, as a consequence, be condemned.. There is the Court, and there is the law written for such cases, dealing with strikes and lockouts. Wlill the Union accept the challenge, or will it Continue the present idleness, when it has its legal remedy to end or mend the present position Wise counsels and urgent necessity demand an early settlement, as wpmen and children cannot starve for the Jack of it. —Yours, etc., E. G. MARTIN. UNION TO CHARGE MILLERS WITH LOCK-OUT. At yesterday’s meeting of the Unemployment Relief Committee at Palmerston North, Mr. P. T. Robinson stated that the Flaxmill Employees’ Union was taking steps to lay information against the mill owners in the present flax-mill dispute, alleging a lock-out.