SUPPORT FOR PROTESTS

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIV, Issue 149, 25 May 1934, Page 9

SUPPORT FOR PROTESTS

- SUSTENANCE AND CAMPS. MINISTER’S SPEECH CRITICISED. Following upon a strong indictment by the Mayor (Mr A. E. Hansford) of the statements of the Minister of Employment (Hon. A. Hamilton) to the Citizens’ Lunch Club on Tuesday, strong opposition to the reduced sustenance scale and the Opepe camp order for unemployed was voiced at a meeting in Palmerston North, last evening, of business and trades people. Other speakers criticised the Minister, and the following resolutions were unanimously carried : “That this meeting enters an emphatic protest against compulsory camps and heartily endorses the action of the Mayor and citizens in their resolutions carried at the meeting in the Opera House on April 26 last.” “That this meeting registers an emphatic protest against the disparaging remarks passed by the Minister, which reflected on our worthy Mayor, leading citizens, and representatives of the churches.”

Gratification at the good attendance was expressed by the Mayor, who presided. “The Citizens’ Lunch Club did not officially invite me to the luncheon last Tuesday,” he said. “Other local bodies were invited, but not the City Council. The invitations were in the hands of the local certifying officer and the Lunch Club thought that I had been invited. On Tuesday, when they heard that I had not received an invitation, they did their best to remedy the position, and an invitation was left at my office late in the morning, but it was too late. The Lunch Club have done a wonderful work, and I would not like any more sa.id about it. I have the greatest respect for all its members with the exception of those who would use such a popular and instructive institution for paltry party politics.” • Referring to the speech made by the Minister of Employment on Tuesday last, Mr Mansford said: “Of course, I had heard most of it before when in Wellington; only on that earlier occasion most of it was delivered by, Mr Bromley. At intervals the Minister also tried to use the cane.” The Mayor disagreed with the Labour 1 arty when thev referred to Mr Bromley as a “traitor.” “He is not. What is making this Government more unpopular -than the policy of the Unemploy-

ment Board, and who is responsible for the policy of the "Unemployment Board more than Mr Bnomiey P Do you not think that it suits him to see the Government becoming unpopular. Why, if Labour gets into power they will make him Leader of the Upper House, or give him a better position than the one he now holds. You mark my words. (La.ugliter.) Cannot you see him, last Tuesday, after they got oil the train, slapping Mr Hamilton on the back and saying ‘Well done, chief. You are the strong man. Just leave it to me, and I will make you' Prime Minister?’—and the present Government cannot see through it. Well, these two exponents of the Unemployment Board’s policy came to Palmerston North and delivered their broadside under the ambuscade of the Lunch Club. • TARGETS OF REMARKS.

“The tone and manner of the hon. gentleman’s remarks leave me with little doubt as to whom they are directed but to myself and those associated with me who have the courage of their convictions,” added the Mayor. “The air of taunt and disparagement ill becomes a Minister of the Crown. Did the Minister give the city any credit for its relief organisation,, a.t one time —and possibly still —considered to be the best in New Zealand ? No. Did the Minister give the City Council any credit for the money spent on relief, equal to, if not better than any city or town in New Zea r land in proportion to its population? —No. Did the Minister give the citizens any credit for the splendid response made to all appeals for money for relief purposes?—No. Did the Minister refer to the splendid work done by our local Returned Soldiers’ -Association, the envy of New Zealand No. Ho did not come to give credit where it was due. He came to criticise and ridicule the actions of myself and others. CRITICISM OF CITIZENS.

“Fancy a man holding the responsible position of a Minister of the Crown making statements that men had not stood up to the responsibilities of their office and had been circulating resolutions round the country stirring up trouble instead of co-opera-ting. That reference applied to Mr J. K. Hornblow, chairman of the Hospital Board for some years and a member for nearly 20 years who lias taken a leading part in public affairs; Mr A. J. Graham, a councillor for many years, Mayor for four, president of the Chamber of Commerce, and a leading citizen and businessman; Mr B. J. Jacobs, president of the local R.S.A., and a leading citizen who has done wonderful work for the city, particularly in raising funds for all charitable purposes, as well as being a highly respected citizen and one of the lea’ders of the legal profession; Rev. H. L. Richards, a preacher in the Methodist Church who represented the Council of Christian Congregations and expressed the opinion of all the leaders of the churches; Mr W. B. Teiment, a member of and representing the City Council, a young and progressive citizen and professional man ; Very Rev. Monsignor MacManus, priest in charge of St. Patrick’s parish, and a man who commands the respect of every man and woman in our city by the largeness of his heart, his sympathy and broad outlook. All these men were associated with me on the platform that night. “It was nothing short of impudence to come here and endeavour publicly to castigate men who are his superior in every way. (Applause.) As regards myself,” the Mayor added, “I trust that because I am gifted with a little of the milk of human kindness I at least will bo able to merit and retain public confidence, that I may never bo moved by local prejudices or gangrened by party jealousy to get up publicly and endeavour to castigate men with the courage of their convictions, and wlio are doing their best for their fellow men. If I do, may my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth, and may I be publicly denounced from one end of New Zealand to the other.”

Dealing with the resolutions carried at the public meeting on April 26 last and sent to all local bodies, the Mayor said the Prime Minister was told beforehand what they intended to do. “It is one of the constitutional ways in which people in a democratic country can give expression to their views,” Mr Mansford added. “The Minister objects. Why? Because the consensus of opinion ise against the board’s policy; so the Minister of Employment finds fault with a British practice common all over the Empire.” The reason given by the Minister for the introduction of sustenance and sending of men to camp was Palmerston North’s lack of capital works, the speaker continued. He (the Mayor) had stated before that they took an unemployment loan, blit it was rejected by a substantial majority. In the works provided for in that loan and in any works they undertook the cost of materials would be £2 for every £1 of labour. The wages paid by the City Council last year to No. 5 scheme men amounted to £30,371. It would mean that the council would have to find £60,742 for materials. This was more than thp whole of their revenue in one year for the general account, and if they took a loan they would have to increase the general rate id in the £l. , That would mean an increase of £1 Os 10-d in rates for a property of the unimproved value of £SOO. “How does the Minister reconcile this with his statement in which he says we must consider the wage earner (who is the taxpayer) nearly as much as the unemployed His statement is sheer political window dressing.” The opinion of the Palmerston North ratepayers and the majority of the ratepayers and electors of New Zealand, as evidenced by the support of the protest was that it was the duty of the Unemployment Board to find the money for the unemployed, and the blame was at the Minister’s door if the board did not find it. “Because we say we have no capital works, our me nare to be put on a scheme of sustenance which is a disgrace to any Government in a country such as ours. Yet this Minister comes here and says the men are badly led, at times very badly. At wliom he is trying to hit I do not profess to know. Nevertheless our Government has never led at all, not even badly. They are, as a rule, about two years behind any other country, and when they make a choice it is usually the wrong one.”

The Mayor concluded bv saying that he intended to oppose the scheme of sustenance by every constitutional method at his command, because it was inhuman and uneconomic.

CABINET CONSIDERATION DELAYED. The Mayor then announced that he had received the following telegram from the Prime Minister (on similar lines to that published in the “Standard” yesterday) : “I regret I am unable to arrange for Cabinet consideration to-day of the representations made to me at Palmerston North owing to the Minister of Employment being absent from Wellington. It is proposed, however, to hold a meeting on Monday next, which is the earliest date after the return of Mr Coates and Mr Hamilton. The matter of notices to married men to go to camps is covered until the 29th instant by the Unemployment Board’s instructions that no action be

taken in Palmerston North and Feeding until that date. Please advise the representatives of the unemployed who were present* at the meeting.” SPIRIT OF INDEPENDENCE.

“Exactly what did Mr Hamilton mean by saying that if the men would not enter camp coercion would be used?” inquired one speaker. The Mayor: I could not say. I could not understand a lot of his statements.

Mr W. Milverton: "Why are you so bitter against this camp business? The Mayor: We have inculcated in the people of this Dominion the spirit of independence, and when men are told that they must go to camp, that is enough to make them say “I won’t.” (Applause.) Mr Milverton commented that the camps wore voluntary. The Mayor: If they do not go they do not get anything to eat. Mr (Milverton: Is not that order cancelled ?

Voices: Only suspended. Mr Milverton: Are men to-day so much superior or inferior to those who laid the foundations of this city that they must have floors in their tents? Mr J. B. Fleck: They would go willingly if they had the prospects the pioneers had. At present they have no hope if they go into camp. Mr Pascoo: I do not see why we should go back one hundred yea i«t Mr Milverton: AVe have not reaeffcd realities here AVe have to meet fierce foreign competition. “Men arc being driven away from their homes to bleak plains,” said Mr AV. Archer. * “They would rather starve with their families than live on the fat of the land away from them. Every move of this Government has made the situation worse.” In regard to its present move the men had the support of the business community. Mr J. Hodgens said there was no scarcity in the country. The problem was what to do with the surplus. Sane methods of distribution had to be organised. He congratulated the Mayor on his stand.

Mr Fleck said the Lunch Club, of which ho was a member, was getting a “slating,” and ho did not wonder at it. The majority of the members of the Lnnch Club had expressed complete disapprobation at the Minister’s remarks. It was an unwritten law that polities should not be discussed there, but those statements were politics of the worst kind. The last two years had taught the business man that once the bottom stratum of society was pressed down, he had to follow. The man who dfd not look after his employees was going to suffer. “Do you know any man whoso wife agrees that he should go to camp?” he asked. “If she does, it is about time they parted.” He alleged the authorities were picking out those men who were known to be leaders of the unemployed. One man was a grandfather. Mr Fleck severely criticised Mr Oram’s comments congratulating the Minister at the conclusion of the latter’s speech, a drawa fter each had gained a fall. “IN A HORNET’S NEST.” “I appear to be in the middle of a hornet’s nest,” stated Mr Milverton, amidst laughter wlren he again referred to the aspect of foreign competition, stating that the “borrow, boom and bust” principle was done. Mr Archer said tens of thousands were not getting half sufficient in a land which depended upon its production, and not on its exports. Mr M. Briggs also entered a protest. The sooner they said with a united voice that they wanted what belongs to them the sooner they would get it. Mr R. L. C. Aitclrison said the Unemployment Board’s credit balance had increased and there were less registrations. AA’hat was the reason for the board not paying to a man on bis stand-down week the equivalent of what he would receive had he worked that week? Hospital boards could not provide for able-bodied men, but they could not see men and women_ on the verge of starvation. AVas it right for the taxpayer to have to pay twice?

The Mayor said the Prime Minister did not seem to be able to appreciate the fact that if the money was there for capital works it was there when there was no work at all.

Mr Pascoe said the camp order was unwarranted. From the medical point of view it was atrocious. The consolation and guidance of husbands was required in times of stress.

CAPITAL WORKS WAITING. Opposition was voiced to the camps by Mr D. Wouldes, who said that last week there was a foot of snow at Opepe.- There would be no trouble in filling the camps voluntarily with a decent rate of remuneration. Families were expected to live on 10s or 15s a week. The whole thing was scandalous. Capital works were waiting. The railway route had been , resurveyed between Plimmerton and Paekakariki. Similar preliminary work had been done for the Wangaehu Hill deviation. Useful work to reduce railway running costs was waiting. There W'ere uncompleted lines rusting, and not yet producing a penny of revenue, while the interest bill was being met. There were sand dunes along the Manawatu coast providing ample opportunities for tree-planting within reach of home. Secondary industries were awaiting development. There were limitless coal and shale deposits. Mr G. Tremaine coimnentoci that all complained at the inadequate rate of sustenance —one quarter of what tlie Act provided for. . It was not sustenance. The opposition to sending married men to the Opepe camp must be endorsed by all. . Mr Goldacre said the Kamgaroa Plains were the worst place in iNew Zealand. Men -working there required a strong constitution, or they would soon fall sick. . “It seems to he that that work is of no more value than grubbing the grass off the streets of Palmerston North,” said Mr Tremaine who expressed doubts that the trees planted would ever be of commercial value. PLANS TO ASSIST MEN.

It was evident, said Mr C. N. Rabone, that those present fully endorsed the action taken by the Mayor, and the protests lodged by the men. The business men of Palmerston North appeared to be .apathetic, but 90 per cent, were behind the opposition to the camps. They would not let the men starve, and were only waiting for a definite plan. Some practical scheme of assistance to the _ unemployed to obtain food and clothing would hearten the latter in their protest. On the motion of Mr AVouldes the resolution supporting the action of the Mayor and citizens was passed. The meeting adopted the suggestion of Mr Tremaine that a copy should be forwarded to the Prime Minister and to Mr J. A. Nash, M.P. “The position is becoming intolerable,” said Mr Hodgens. “We will have to assist them in a constitutional fight by going over the heads of any public men approached yet to the Gov-ernor-General.” (Applause.). A further resolution of denunciation against tbr> Minister for his remarks was carried. Mr \\ oiudes suggested that an invitation be extended to the farmers and church representatives to attend future meetings, one of which is to be held after Cabinet lias given its decision. Mrs Greener said that she was one of the small business people, who were opposed to the camps, and if things did not improve her own husband would soon be on relief.

Messrs Mansford, Rabone, Hodgens, Pascoe, Archer and Mrs Greener were appointed a sub-committee to investigate the possibility of providing practical assistance in the sustenance of the unemployed while they were making their protest against the present conditions-

Messrs Aitcliison, W. H. Wilson and W. H. Brown were appointed as a sub-committee to interview business men and secure their support for the proposals passed at the meeting.