THE UNEMPLOYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22086, 16 April 1935, Page 12

THE UNEMPLOYED

CONCESSIONS GRANTED DEPUTATION TO MINISTER RIGHT OF APPEAL CONCEDED PAYMENT FOR WET DAYS Two definite promises of'improvements in the conditions governing the treatment of relief workers and those on sustenance were made to a large deputation o£- unemployed hy the re-cently-appointed Minister, of Employment, the Hon. S. G. Smith, at the Town. Hall concert chamber yesterday afternoon. The Minister undertook that men on the unemployment register who had grievances against decisions by local officers of tjie Unemployment Board would be Riven the right of appeal, and said that after Easter men who attended the job on wet days would be paid, even if no work wero done. He to qommit himself to grant an extra 10s per week to the unemployed in all categories, saying that there was not enough money in the Unemployment Fund to' do this. He promised to investigate a number of other requests and complaints while in Auckland. The deputation, which was headed by Mr. J. Edwards, consisted of 21 delegates representing the Joint Council of the unemployed and various unemployed associations in Auckland, and there was an attendance of approximately 400 unemployed. Desires of the Men The Minister, who was accompanied by Mr. W- Bromley, deputy-chairman of the Unemplo.ym.ent Board, and Mr. W. Slaughter, officer in charge of unemployment in the Auckland district, was introduced by the Mayor, Mr. G. W. Hutchison, who expressed the thanks of the gathering to Mr. Smith for coming, to Auckland to investigate tjje position within one week of receiving his appointment as Minister. Mr. F. E. Lark spoke on behalf of the deputation, explaining the desires of the men on lines similar to those placed before Mr. Bromley in Auckland last week. Mr. A. Drennan claimed that the reclassification of relief workers meant a loss to the men of from 6d to 3s 6d Mr. Smith: Yet it is costing £175,000 more. Mr. Drennan said that there was a growing army of men who bitterly resented the treatment they were receiving. The deputation demanded immediately additional benefits for the unemployed and was supporting the demand made elsewhere that the Unemployment Board give an immediate increase of 10s a week in all categories, so" that the prevailing distress could be alleviated. Mrs. K. Baldwin, a representative of the Working Women's Movement and the wife of a relief -worker, said that the women had been struggling for some years to decently feed and ' clothe their,,children, but they could not go on any longer, unless .they received something more from the board. The No. 5 Scheme Mr. W. J. Lyon admitted that the demands being made could not be met unless additional money were made available to the board, and said that , it was the duty of the Government to provide that money. He stated that rr- the No. 5 scheme was being abused by local bodies and Government departments. He complained that the unemployed had no right of appeal from decisions of. officers, of the board. The Minister interjected to say that he was prepared to arrange for some form of appeal. Mr. Lyon:.' We have now got the right of appeal. Perhaps before this meeting closes we will get that extra 10s. Mr. T. Stanley said that the unemployed would not be satisfied with this extra 10s, but would immediately work - for further concessions. Mr. J. Edwards, speaking on behalf of the Mount Roskill Unemployed Association, said that the men were compelled to go to work on wet days to -'places vhere .there was no shelter. He asked -hat shelters be provided and that the men be paid for a full day in wet weather if they attended at the job in the mornings. The Minister: But you get that now. Mr. Edwards: No, sir. The Minister: Well, we will give it to you. (Applause.) • Investigation Promised Mr. Smith, in replying, said that the speakers on 7 the whole had been moderate. He reminded the men that he had just taken over the portfolio, _ but -- assured them that he was going to be ■ the Minister. If he made a decision and it went against the workers, he wanted them to blame him and not th<i officers of the board. He promised that every point made by the deputation would be ""* investigated by himself. He, would spend some days in the city, and he would endeavour to make the lot of the unemployed in 'Auckland better than it was. For one thing, he would like to see the No. 5 scheme abolished next week and all the registered unemployed back on work at standard rates. He was going to work whole-heartedly to bring that about. Referring to his promise to arrange for appeals by relief workers, the Minister said his. present thought was to arrange for tho worker concerned and an officer of the board to go before a magistrate in the privacy of the magistrate's room and discuss the case. Asked whether he would also allow a representative of the association to which the appellant belonged to be present, the Minister said he would consider that point. He wanted to be fair. Mr. Smith also said that after Easter men who went to the job on days when it was too wet to work would be paid for that day. Request lor Extra Pay Pressed to grant the extra 10s a week asked for, the Minister said it was beyond. his power to do so. He pointed -out, however,, that if this concession were granted and the board's revenue remained at its present level, in six -- months there would be nothing with which to pajf any'of them. The Minister promised to look into several complaints relating to camps, the use of relief labour by local bodies, and the amofint which men on sustenance are allowed to earn before having their sustenance pay reduced. In reference to a statement that men could not earn the 10s 6d a day on which contract, rates on relief jobs were based, he quoted a return which had been taken out for him on one of these jobs. This .showed the earnings of 23 gangs on the ninth measure up, the lowest receiving 10s 6d and tho highest J6s 8d a day.