MORE MEN WORKING.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21164, 22 April 1932, Page 10

MORE MEN WORKING.

CITY RELIEF SCHEMES.

TWO-THIRDS OF POSSIBLE. THE BASIS FOR COMPARISON. Notwithstanding statements from the Unemployed Workers' Association that strikers arc standing fast, to their principles, there was a substantial increase yesterday in the number of men engaged on relief works in the city and suburbs. On the works under the control of the City Council, there was an increase of 100 over the number working on Wednesday, the total number of men engaged being 463. There were men working under the City Council at Avondale, where, the Unemployed Workers' Association states, the strikers are "solid to a man."

"As far as tho City Council's works aro concerned, tho situation is improving daily," said the city engineer, Mr. J. Tyler. "There is still more work available, and most of tho jobs will be in operation for another day to give workers a chance to make up lost firne." A statement was made yesterday by the Mayor of Auckland, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, which has a very distinct bearing on the attitude of the Unemployed Workers' Association toward the strike among relief workers. Their argument is that the figures supplied by local body officials as to the number of men engaged on relief works are misleading. The Mayor stated that of the men entitled to work yesterday, approximately two-thirds turned up at their respective jobs. Explanation of Numbers.

"At the beginning of the week, the City Council made arrangements with the Labour Department for 900 men to obtain their ration of work this week," Mr. Hutchison said, "as well as to make up tho time which they lost last week. Under this arrangement the 900 men would not be working at the same time. For instance, some two-day men who lost a day last week made that day up on Monday and worked this week's ration on Tuesday and Wednesday. "It will bo seen, therefore, that there would be possibly not more than 600 to 700 men who should have been working on Thursday and the actual position was that 463 men were working." There was a further slight increase in the number of men working in the Mount Albert district, tho total being about 70. However, there was work available for an additional 300 men. The decision of the Mount Albert unemployed not to work until tho Government announced a more equitable scheme is being adhered to fairly generally. Work in Other Districts. The position of the strikers generally was commented on by Mr. W. S. Begbie, engineer to the Mount Albert Borough Council. In dealing with the comparative figures of men at work and men on strike, he said it seemed that the Unemployed Workers' Association was taking as its basis the total of unemployed, irrespective of whether they were due to work or not. If a relief worker had completed his ration, it could hardly bo said that he was on strike, even if he were not working. In most of the other districts, work yesterday proceeded as usual. In Mount Eden all the men due for work were on their respective jobs and there will still be a few working to-day; in One Tree Hill there was riot a great number of men working, the majority having finished their week's ration; in Newmarket the full quota of relief workers was at work. It was reported that there was still a certain amount of picketing at some of the relief works yesterday. However, there was a fairly general opinion that the majority of the men realised that half a loaf was better than no bread. The Minister in charge of Unemployment, the JU. Hon. J. G. Coates, had promised to introduce an improved scheme, and men who refused work until that improvement was effected were merely harming themselves and their dependants. SETTLEMENT DISCUSSED. NO DECISION REACHED.

A further meeting was held yesterday between a committee of civic loaders and representatives of the Auckland Unemployed Workers' Association to consider terms submitted by t lie workers' delegates under which the present striko of relief workers would be brought to an end.

A deputation from tho Unemployed Workers' Association waited on the committee on Wednesday afternoon, when tho terms were stated, but the details of the proposals have not been made public. The committee consisted of the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison; the chairman of the Auckland Harbour Board, Mr. 0. R. Hutchinson; the chairman of tho Auckland Transport Board, Mr. J. A. C. Allum; and tho chairman of tho Auckland Electric-Power Board, Mr. W. J. Holdsworth. The workers' representatives were Messrs. Stanley, Ross, James, Johnson and Blackie.

The proceedings on Wednesday were adjourned to allow tho members of the committee to examine the proposals and when a further meeting was held yesterday afternoon it was decided, in view of the expectation that tho Minister in Chargo of Unemployment, (he Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, would shortly make known tho Government's proposals for improving the conditions on relief works, that further discussion should be adjourned.