UNRULY GATHERING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20642, 14 August 1930, Page 12

UNRULY GATHERING.

DEMANDS! OF UNEMPLOYED. THREAT TO SEE MR. FORBES. LABOUR MEMBER JEERED. [BY TELEGRAPH. —SPECIAL REPORTER.] WELLINGTON, ■Wednesday. Unusual scenes were witnessed outside Parliament House this morning when a party of about 40 unemployed, tho majority of whom are believed to belong to tho Communist Party, threatened to storm tho building and force their way to tho Prime Minister, tho Hon. G. W. Forbes, For several hours the men stayed about tho Bowen Street entrance and at one time tho situation gavo promise of becoming serious. However, in spite of tho fact that it was suggested that pickets should bo stationed to waylay tho Prime Minister should lie leave, the men were calmed by tho appearance of eight policemen, whoso prescnco led to extreme plans being abandoned. Arriving at tho House at about 11 o'clock, the men demanded to soo the Prime Minister, who was, however, engaged at a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee. As a result Mr. R. Semple, the Labour member for Wellington East, arranged for them to meet Mr. "Forbes on Friday morning. . Mr. Semple's Help Refused. This information was given to the men and the Prime Minister forwarded his regrets that he was unablo to seo them then. Much dissatisfaction was expressed at this and tho gathering hold a meeting outside the door. Ifc was addressed by a speaker who called upon tho men as "comrades" not to submit to such treatment. Ho placed a motion before the meeting that it should refuse to allow Mr. Semple to act on its behalf in making arrangements with tho Prime Minister and after this had been seconded by another "comrade," it was declared carried without dissent. Tho men were then reminded by tho seconder of the resolution that they had previously declared that they would not go away until they had seen tho Prime Minister and he called upon them to abide by that decision. This course was agreed on after the men had been enjoined to show their "manliness and pluck." and they made no move to leave. Occasionally a member of the gathering would address the "comrades" and at ono o'clock it was decided that the building should bo picketed with tho object of catching Mr. Forbes should' ho leave the building. The pickets were appointed, but this course was abandoned when it was learned that it would not servo any good purpose. ' As time went on, the gathering attracted more and moro attention to itself, and at 1.30 p.m., several Labour members of Parliament interviewed the imon and tried to secure their agreement to,; a meeting with the Prime Minister on Friday. No such arrangement was countenanced, as a spokesman said Friday's deputation had been arranged by organised" Labour and he contended that it had done nothing for tho unemployed. Mr. Jordan Interrupted. This suggestion was refuted by Mr. W. J. Jordan, the Labour member for Manukau, who said that on every day of the session members of the Labour Party had impressed on the House the need for immediate action in relieving distress. His remarks were interrupted by several • of the men, who said that men, women and children were starving, and that they had little hope, of getting anything out of a deputation on Friday. Much jeering greeted Mr. Semple when ho told tho men that tho Primo Minister was too busy to meet them until Friday, and when they were again asked by Mr. W. E. Barnard, the Labour member for Napier, whether they would be willing to form a deputation on that day, several said they were tired of taking part in Labour deputations. It was - stated that they had no voice in Labour matters, and a statement by Mr. Jordan that tho only way to approach the Primo Minister was through organised Labour channels met with heated opposition. Loud and prolonged jeering again greeted a remark by Mr. Semple that ho did not represent tho men in tho gathering and that if he did so he would resign from public life. At 2.30 p.m. the men agreed to meet Mr. F. Langstone, tho Labour member for Waimarino, and after they had dono so, tho gathering dispersed. COMMITTEE OF INQUIRY., NOTICE OF ESTABLISHMENT. , ' [by telegraph.—SPEClAL reporter.] WELLINGTON, Wednesday. A promise to sot up a committee of tho House to inquire into the quwtion of unemployment relief was mado by the Prime Minister, the Hon. G. W. Forbes, during tho passage of the last Imprest Supply Act. In redemption of that undertaking, the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, gavo notice in the House to-day to move to set up a special committee "to inquire into unemployment and tho conditions relating thereto, and to make recommendations for tho better organisation and moro expeditious application of relief." The committee is to comprise Mr. Smith, tho Hon. E. A. Ransom, Mr. W. P. Endean, Mr. J. N. Massey, Mr. J. T. Hogan, Mr. R. Semple, and Mr. D. G. Sullivan. PROVISIONS OF THE BILL, PROTEST BY EX-SOLDIERS. [by telegraph.—own correspondent.] HAMILTON, Wednesday. A motion was passed by tho Hamilton branch of the Returned Soldiers' Association last ovoning protesting against tho provisions ot' tho Unemployment Bill, in jso far,', as they placed returned soldiers, and particularly disabled rpturnod soldiers, pn. tftq samo basis as,civilians, and apparently ignored the recommendations of the Rehabilitation Commission which was set up by- tho Government and paid for by the Canteen Funds Board.