CLOSED RAILWAY WORKS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIV, 24 February 1931, Page 8

CLOSED RAILWAY WORKS

SINGLE MEN STAY ON SHORTAGE OF FOOD The position of the men formerly working on the section of the East Coast railway which has been dosed down was the subject of a deputation from the Alliance of Labour to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Public Works (reports the “Post”). Introducing (he deputation. Air A. Cook, president of tlie Alliance, said that the position of the men had become so serious that it was necessary for them lo receive word as to what- was to become of them. The married men had been transferred to other centres, their wives and children being left behind. The. position to-day was practically the same as ii. was at the lime of the last deputation, except that a number of families had ceen concentrated in one camp. No sanitary arrangements had been made, there were no firing facilities, neither had any arrangements been made for I lie children to attend school*. The only sensible solution was to enable the men to rejoin their families. On the wages they were receiving to-day, the men could not keep themselves and send money lo keep their waves and families as well.

THE SINGLE 'MEN Regarding the single men, Air Cook said it was to their credit that they had stayed in tlie camps. What they had made between the time the works closed and the present time they had pooled into a common fund to maintain a cook house. Eight days ago they had run out of money, and they were now living on charity. They were without money or sustenance, and they had no prospect of any work. Unless they men could receive some advice to-day they would be compelled to walk out from both ends of the closed railway, and become a burden on the charitable community. In order to give them food over the week-end, the speaker had sent £lO to-day, but apart from that the men had no food and no work. If the Unemployment Board was not prepared to give the men sustenance, then it should he instructed immediately to find them work. If it was the intention of the Government to transfer the wives and families to the place where the husbands were working, he took it that the cost would he met by the Government. If this was not the Government’s intention, then it was only right to expect that the families should be treated properly and adequate accommodation and facilities provided.

SHOULD HAVE LEFT EARLIER

Replying, the Prime Minister said that as far as the single men were concerned there was no possibility of providing work for them in that part of the district. The railway had been closed down three months ago, and tlie inori should have left then. Mr Cook: “They might as well starve there as anywhere else.” Mr Forbes said that the men could have applied for work to the Unemployment Board in tlie same way as other single men. He would instruct the board to give immediate attention to any applications that came from Gisborne.

Mr Cook: “What are they going to do to-day?” ■ The Prime Minister: ‘lm quite satisfied that there are people in Gisborne who would not see them starve. Why they stayed on there for three months without work I can l understand.” A voice: “They cant got work. There are thousands‘of men walking the streets of Wellington 1 here without work.” . The Prime Minister said that the Unemployment Board was set up to find work for' men sucli as these. They had better come to where the thing was administered end efforts would be mcide to find work for them. . A voice: “And the police would pinch them for being on the ‘vag.’ ” In regard to tlu> married men, Air Forbes said that the work at Arapuni, 'where the majority of them were, was only of a temporary nature, and no permanent married men s quarters weie being put up. Arrangements were now' being made for proper accommodation for the women and children where they were. <r»~