FEILDING.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LII, Issue 307, 25 November 1932, Page 4

FEILDING.

UNEMPLOYMENT COMMITTEE. BELIEF WORKERS’ COMPLAINTS. Tlio Mayor (Mr C. E. Taylor) presided at a meeting of the Feilding Unemployment Committee yesterday afternoon, there being also present: Rev. Canon F. Petrie, Rev. F. Copeland, Messrs C. Clark (certifying officer), V. E. Smith, A. Campbell, C. A. Hausmann, T. K. Hay, N. C. Harding, D. Byrne, P. G. Guy and T. Collins. An apology for absence was received from Mr J. S. Tingey and Mr W. H. Olliver. Letters were received from four relief workers complaining that they had not been granted the extra day’s work it ..had been understood by the men they would receive while working on the Feilding golf links on the “over the fence” scheme.

A report was read from the borough engineer (Mr T. K. Hay) in connection with the complaint, stating that practically all the men on the “over the fenoe” scheme had received extra work and pay during The period mentioned in the letter, and that towards the relief work the Feilding Golf Club had contributed £6O in relief wages.

Discussing the complaint the Mayor said it would be recalled that complaints were made at the last meeting of the committee by Mr Byrne regarding men on the No. 5 scheme. The matter had been investigated and no foundation discovered for the complaints. Regarding the present complaints, the Mayor said that neither the work at the golf links nor that on Awahuri Road was under

“over the fence” schemes. The Feilding Golf Club had made available a large patch of land and paid out a large sum in wages, while the Awahuri Road work was to prevent flooding on that highway. The Mayor was sorry these complaints had come forward, for he was satisfied that the farmers who were engaging No. 5 labour were doing the right thing. The complaint made by Mr Byrne at the last meeting regarding 20 or 30 workers the Mayor thought, in the light of the complaints that had been received at the meeting, had l>een grossly exaggerated. These complaints were a serious reflection on the farmer and those employing No. 5 labour, and the Mayor had no hesitation in moving that the letters and the engineer’s report be received, and that the committee express its opinion that it is satisfied the employers of No. o labour are doing their part in the employment of relief workers to all satisfaction. Mr Smith seconded the motion.

In explanation of the complaints, Mr Byrne, the relief workers’ representative on the committee, said it was hard to get the men to make a complaint in writing. Plenty of them wouid complain to him, but would not address any complaint to an official of the Borough Council.

Rev. Canon Petrie said he could not see that Mr Byrne had ever received complaints from 20 or 30 men in view of the fact that only four had been received by letter at the meeting. The Mayor agreed with the last speaker, stating that it was very evident that the report bad been magnified. The report of the engineer on the pay the men making the complaint bad received showed that there was no genuine complaint among the lot of them.

Similar expressions were made by other members of the committee, the Mavor's motion then being carried. STAND DOWN WEEK QUESTION.

From Mr F. A. Edwards, the chairman of the Relief Workers’ Movement, the result of a ballot taken among the men in regard to observing a stand-down week was received as follow: —For sta.nd'-d own week, 51; •gainst, 61 ; informal 1.

The Mayor said that the figures showed that 26 men had not voted on the question so that there was a majority of 10 against the stand-down week. Reviewing /the position, Mr Taylor said that tlie Unemployment Board provided a certain amount of money to be paid out whether the work was done in three weeks or four. Personally, he thought that, with the work being spread over three weeks, it gave the men a better chance to get a little work in for themselves. If the men were not going to have a standdown week, the Borough Council would have to ask for assistance in the paying out of the wages weekly. From the closeness of’ the voting, and the fact that several of the men had not voted, Mr Taylor said he had no motion to put forward on the question. Mr P. G. Guy moved that there be no stand-down week. The speaker thought that the men would be better able to care for themselves and their families with their pay coming in in four weeks instead of three. Further, Mr Guv considered that the committee should abide by the wishes of the majority as experssed in the ballot.

Mr V. E. Smith seconded the motion, expressing similar views. Rev. Canon Petrie opposed the motion, advancing the opinion that it would be found that there would be just as many applying for relief ii there were no stand-down week, whereas with their pay coming in in three weeks, instead of four* there was more chance of the men getting work for themssives. Views of a similar nature were expressed by other members of the committee, and the motion, on being put to the meeting, was lost.

GENERAL. Mr T. K. Hay, borough engineer, reported that on November 15 he had received a complaint from the foreman of a gang of men employed on Kawa Kawa Road by the Manawatu County Council, regarding three men, one of whom had been, sent off the job for being allegedly abusive to the men working, while " the other two had walked off with the dismissed man. As a result, Mr Hay said he had stood the three down for the balance of the week, which meant that each forfeited two days’ work. Mr Hay’s report was adopted and his action unanimously endorsed by the committee, the expression being made that much leniency had been shown in regard to the three men in question. The Department of Labour notified the committee that it had carried out an investigation of the la and ‘over the fence’ schemes and everything had been found to be quite satisfactory.— Received.

The Unemployment Commissioner wrote stating that in order to assist the unemployed the board had decided that work should be suspended for the weeks ending December 31 and January 7, 1933. The allocations for these weeks would be on the usual basis but no work would be required to be done and payments due could be paid at the end of the period. December 24. —The letter was received.

Mr Clark reported that the registrations for the past four weeks were as follow: —Week ending October 29, 148; November 5, 147; November 12, 147; November 19, 146. The committee extended its congratulations to the relief garden workers for the success obtained with the vegetables from the gardens shown at the Horticultural Show in Feilding last Friday.

CRICKET.

The Feilding cricket competitions will be resumed to-morrow.'On No. 1 wicket Feilding are in a splendid position

against Colyton with six wickets down for 279 in their first innings'. Colyton have yet to bat but it may be taken as fairly certain that with a dry wicket the country eleven’s batting resources will be strained to the utmost to draw level with the Feilding score. On No. 2 wicket Public Service will continue their first innings against Old Boys. The latter batted first to make 147 to which the Servicemen replied with 105 for the loss of eight wickets when stumps were drawn owing to the heavy rain which set in.

NOTES.

The attack of gastric trouble experienced by the boarders at the Feilding High School hostel last weekend hns passed off and all the patients are more or less completely recovered. The one member of the staff who also became ill while assisting in the caring of the boys is also recovering. The outbreak was very puzzling to .those in charge but a thorough enquiry is being made ns to the cause of the sickness. Mr A, Eade and his son, Rev. B. N. Eade, are at present in Hikurangi where they attended the funeral yesterday of Mr Eade’s son-in-law, the late Itev. R. C. Stewart. A vote of appreciation of her services and sympathy in her illness was accorded Miss L. Neilson, at the annual meeting of adherents of St. Paul’s Presbyterian Church on Wednesday night. Miss Neilson has held the position of secretary-treasurer to the St. Paul’s Sunday school for the past 20 years but through illness has had to resign temporarily.

RIFLE SHOOTING.

The Cheltenham Rifle Club fired for the Clorain Cup last Saturday, weather conditions not being of the best for the match. The following are the detailed scores: —J. Osborne, 29, 31, 27 (10). 97; J. Whitehead, 23, 31, 30 (12), 96; C. Strawbridge, 28, 27, 30 10), 95; R. Bickers, 27, 27, (24) 94; S„ Mavhew, 31, 32. 30 (scr.) 93; F. Whitehead, 31. 30, 28 (3) 92; S. Barrow, 28, 31, 29 (3) 91; R. Stewart, 29, 29, 28 (4) 90; S. Sandbrook, 29, 32, 27 (2) 90; J. C. Williamson, 31, 25, 30 (3), 89; I. McLean, 26, 28,, 25 (10) 89; R. Tavlor. 26, 29, 22 (12) 83; P. Churcher, 26, 28, 21 (6) 81.

GOLF.

To-morrow afternoon the Feilding Golf Club will officially close the season, the final competition l>eing a Canadian mixed foursome, at the conclusion of which the season’s trophies will be presented. During the week other competitions have been finalised, the president’s “knock-out” competition resulting in a win for J. Graham who defeated J. B. Dutliie by 2 up. The initial contest for the Brown Cup was also concluded when the finalists, K. G. Salmond and D. J. Pryde, met. The latter, who was conceded strokes, was right on his game, and was successful in winning this handsome trophy "by the margin of 4 up.

COMMUNITY LIGHTING.

Following the receipt of advice from the Manawatu-Oroua Power Board that the request of the Feilding Cham r her of Commerce for a reduction in the charge for community lights to £2 per annum per light would be met contingent upon 65 lights being used, a canvass of the business area was made by members of the chamber. It is stated that it may be regarded as certain that the required number of lights will he forthcoming, the response to the canvass having been prompt and encouraging.

CYCLE RACING.

On Wednesday evening the Feilding Amateiir Athletic Club conducted a third road cycle race over a 14 mile course. The event resulted in a win for Essex (Palmerston North), with Vetergen (Feilding) second, and N. Stevens (Feilding) third. The fastest time, was recorded by 11. Walker, of Palmerston North.