Lot Out of Work by March

Manawatu Times, Volume 64, Issue 277, 23 November 1939, Page 6

Lot Out of Work by March

Shop Assistants Protest Against Imports Control PALMERSTON MEETING SUPPORTS OTHER CENTRES Enthusiastic and unanimous support of the shop assistants in other centres of the Dominion protesting against the action of the Government through its policy of import control reducing stocks to such a level that dismissals of staffs from shops was likely in the New Year was given at a meeting of Palmerston North shop assistants last evening. Those who spoke left no doubt that they disagreed with the policy of restriction and its effect on the employment situation. Mr. L. R. Hepworth presided. “I want to voice my disgust and that of shop assistants generally at the attitude the Government has taken up in not allowing sufficient stocks to come into tho Dominion to let us keep our jobs,” said a speaker in opening the discussion. “I think that there will be a lot of us out of work by March.” The chairman: I would suggest that you support the move made in Hamilton and the other cities in the South Island. “Hamilton made their protest as a union and we do not want to do that, but to speak merely as a gathering of shop assistants,” said the first speaker in reply. He then moved:— “That this meeting, which is representative of shop assistants in Palmerston North, support the resolutions carried by shop assistants in the South Island and in other centres wholeheartedly in protest against the import restrictions.” A shop assistant: Mr. Sullivan goes to the microphone and tolls us that there is no shortage of sugar, tea and A voice: There is no shortage of hot air. An interjector: There is no shortage of beer, is there? (Laughter). The same shop assistant: They also tell us that there is no profiteering. We could not get a popular line of tobacco and yet, when tho price went up, wc could have had tons if wc wished. As regards tea, recently I could get only ten pounds a week for my customers and yet, when the price went up, I could get plenty of it. There is 3d difference between North Island and South Island flour. I was i short of North Island flour and had to send one client South Island flour and within ten minutes the police were in tho shop.

A lady: I think there is more in this question than appears on the surface. We have to go back to why we have import restrictions. Wo were being faced with bankruptcy. A voice: Wo are bankrupt.

The lady: For the next few years our exports have to oxceed our imports. I would not liko a resolution passed without looking further into it. I know it affects everyone of us. I would sooner see a resolution passed to push things made in New Zealand. Another shop assistant: We are not concerned with the financial situation. Our imports havo been at a record figure. The Government has also boasted of our record exports. Why the deficiency has arisen has taken some good men to answer. The import restrictions have been brought about by mismanagement of the State and that is going to jeopardise the positions of the shop assistants in the future. Everybody knows the difficulties that have to be faced. Wc are exporting goods; why cannot we import? When the discussion was tending to lapse into a political one, the chairman put the question, which was carried unanimously.