LABOUR FOR RATIONS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20990, 29 September 1931, Page 11

LABOUR FOR RATIONS.

WORK DECLARED " BLACK."

RESORT TO PICKETING.

DISPUTE IN CHRISTCrtURCH.

[BY TELEGRAPH.—OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH. Monday. A long-standing dispute between the North Canterbury Hospital Board and the unemployed workers' movement about the legality or otherwise of the board's "practice of asking men to work in return for rations, came to a head this morning when members of the Vigilance Committee of the unemployed picketed the entrance to the Botanic Gardens and dissuaded some of the men from working. The pickets took up their position at 7 a.m., and there were then about a dozen policemen there also. There was no disturbance. The leaders of the unemployed contend that the Crown Law Office advised the Health Department that, for the Hospital Board to ask the men to work in return for rations was an illegal practice. This, the men allege, has been suppressed by the department. They therefore contend that by picketing .the work this morning they were actually dissuading the men from breaking the law, and that tho police were encouraging an illegal practice. The notice displayed outside the gardens read: " Ration work declared black. Be men and stand off. Don't break tho law." Men applying to the Hospital Board for rations, if they establ&h that their need is genuine, are given mtions and also a " work This ticket they take to the curator of the Botanic Gardens, who puts them to work. These tickets the members of tho picket requested the men reporting for work this morning to surrender. It is thought likely that the men who refused to work this morning will be refused rations by the Hospital Board next, Thursday, when the board's Benevolent Committee will hold its next meeting to receive applications. The members of tho picket promised that every man who earrendered his ticket would get rations next Thursday. They did not say where the rations would come from, or who would pay for them, but a definite promise was given. Some men apparently entered the gardens this morning by another entrance, because there were about 25 men working for rations to-day. Usually on a Monday morning there are 60 or 70 men working. The men were under close police protection and nobody suspected of being a member of the unemployed workers' movement was allowed to go near them. DOMINION REGISTRATIONS SLIGHT DECREASE SHOWN. STATEMENT BY MR. COATES. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] "WELLINGTON, Monday. The first public statement by the Rt. Hon. J. GK Coates since his resumption of Ministerial rank was made to-day. This related to the unemployment returns for the week which ended on September 21. Mr. Coates, as Ministet in charge of Unemployment, said a very small decrease in the number of unemployed was shown. The total at the end of the previous week was 51,254. New or renewed applications during the week were 2025, while 1845 applications were removed, making a net addition of 180. The number placed during the week was 555, so that the net change was a reduction iu outstanding applications by 355, leaving a total of 50,879. This figure, the Minister said, included the considerable number of men engaged in relief work under No. 5 scheme. If that were subtracted, the unplaced applicants at September 21 totalled 14,015, as against 17,678 a week earlier, which was a decrease of 3663. The unplaced men in Auckland had decreased from 1460 to 1408, while registrations had declined from 7335 to 7265. SINGLE MEN AND CAMPS. REFUSAL OF EMPLOYMENT. OTHER RELIEF WORK WITHHELD. A decision to exclude able single men from relief work under No. 5 scheme in the event of their failure to accept work in unemployment camps was made by the Papakura Town Board last evening. The question arose out of a request from the Public Works Department for five men to go to a job in Bombay. When j the men had been selected by ballot three refused point blank to accept and the others said they were arranging for work under scheme No, 4A. The chairman, Mr. H. L. Thornton, j pointed out that it was the intention of tho Government to reduce the num- j ber of single men on No. 5 scheme as far j as possible and get them on to the land, this being for the benefit of the married men. When asked his opinion the local certifying officer said he had instructions to reject all men who refused camp work. The Rev. W. C. Wood, a member of the Auckland Hospital Board, had previously said that it was the intention of the Hospital Board to refuse relief i to all single men who would not take camp work. FARM DEVELOPMENT. RESUMING 4A SCHEME. APPLICATIONS FROM FARMERS. After having been in abeyance all this month tho 4A unemployment relief scheme will be resumed again on Thursday, October 1. The essential purpose of the scheme is to facilitate development work on farms, and tho original conditions governing it are to be strictly adhered to. The labour engaged must be additional to that ordinarily required, and it is not to bo used for milking and other seasonal tasks. Periods of engagement are to range from four to 26 weeks, and tho wages agreed upon between employer and employee are to be subsidised at a rate of 10s a week for single men and 20s a week for married men. At present in the district controlled from tho central Auckla'nd labour bureau there are still 52 men carrying on contracts made under the 4A scheme before it was suspended at tho end of last month. In view of the recommencement of the scheme this week 35 fresh applications have been received for men, and 14 of these have already been approved and the men are ready to start. It has to be recognised that* the present is not the most suitable season for farm development work, which is usually carried out in the winter.