AN EMPHATIC STATEMENT.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19802, 29 May 1926, Page 12

AN EMPHATIC STATEMENT.

.WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED. MR COATES OUTLINES POLICY. DEPUTATION FIRMLY HANDLED. (Peb United Feess Association.) AUCKLAND, May 28. “The unemployed arc not going io dici.’.te to the Government of this country—l lell you that quite clearly. You will got work at the rate of wages we decide on, not at what you decide. Work will be provided for necessitous cases, and you can take it or leave it, just as you like.’’ Mr Coates made this statement in replying to a deputation representing the unemployed that waited on him seeking work at trade union rates. The deputation was introduced by Mr Savage, M.P. Messrs ,Pany, Lee, and Mason, M.P.’s, were also present. Messrs W. Sill, J. Purtell. and h, C. Pace were members of the deputation. Mr D. Henderson, representing the unemployed union, and Air G. Stove, reprobating the Alliance of Labour, were tho spokesmen. A large body o£ the unemployed men waited on the footpath outside the Grand Hotel while tho deputation placed its case before the Prime Minister. A weighty boob, alphabetically arranged, showing the names and addresses of the unemployed men, the amount of rent they had to pay, and the place where they were last employed, was presented by Mr Henderson, who told the .Prime Minister that tho men wanted work at trade union rates. They did not want charitable aid. When the position first became acute a few weeks ago there were 262 names on the Labour Department’s books, and there were now 311. However, those figures did not represent the total number of unemployed. In the book which he had with him there were 71G names. “This country is not what it is cracked up to be in the Old Country,’’ said Mr Henderson, who complained that he had been out of a iob for some time after coming out from England in the belief that work was plentiful. He had beer, to the war and was a shell-shock case, and, as a result, he could not follow his trade, which was that of a barber. The Prim© Minister: Do you mean to say you cannot get work as a hairdresser? Mr Henderson; Weli, I don’t know that anyone would allow mo to put a razor on his throat. The Prime Minister: Is lhat where you put the razor? Mr Henderson t, I put it anywhere. —{Laughter.) “There is going to be no mollycoddling,” iaid Mr Coates, after the other members of the deputation had spoken. “Everyone will have to work. 1 am most concerned about the women and children living in poor quarters, and those cases must be investigated. \Ve may have to get some of them shifted out of the city, despite the fact that they are usually the last that want to go. AVe all know how difficult it is to get people like that to shift, oven if it is in their own interests.” A member of the deputation said ho would willingly go to a job if he was driven out, no matter how far it might bo. .. “Oh! you don’t want to be driven; retorted Mr Coates. “If you walk out you will get your muscle up.” The man said he had been to the war and started to complain of Jus troubles in this connection, when the Prime Minister reminded him that he was lucky to be out of it. “Luckier if we never got out of it, then we would not be in trouble to-day-,” said the man, who was evidently dejected. The Prim© Minister said it would be better if some of those who were so discontented went back whence they came. It was better to be alive than dead any day. Hard times would not last for ever, and those who were up against it should not expect to sit down and expect to be fed. They had to go through their gruelling like everyone else, as there was no roval road to success. Explaining the system under which relief ~ would tie given, Mr Coates said the works selected were more or less of a national character. Work for the unemployed would be in addition to what had been mapped out, as it was not possible to carry out work with a shifting population. Many of the men would have to live near the job. He said arrangements had been made to provide work for necessitous cases, but that work was to be something apart from the programme of ordinary public works. That could not be interfered with. He tvas going to see that this country did pot revert to the conditions of 20 years ago, when men were put on public works in winter, and taken off in summer. One had only to compare the position of the men employed on public works to-day with the lot of those who got employment for the winter only under the system of 20 years ago to realise that the present system was superior. Those who were advocating a reversion to the old system could advocate till they were blue as far as he was concerned. full list of necessitous cases should he sent to the Labour Department, and he would issue the necessary instructions. Primarily, he was concerned with the married men who had wives and children living* in poor conditions. They would lie riven work as near to town as possible, nut the unmarried men would have to “hike out” Into the country. In conclusion, Mr Coates said lie would give his personal attention to those necessitous cases where women and children were concerned, and as soon as the list of cases was handed to him lie would go into the matter. NEW PLYMOUTH RESOLUTION. A DEMAND FOR WORK. (Pzb United Press Association.) NEW PLYMOUTH, May 28. At a meeting of about 60 unemployed this tnorning a resolution was carried calling 4>n the Government and local bodies to provide work to alleviate distress. There are 90 names on the local register. Mr Bartram, member of Parliament for Grey Lynn, stated that when an immigrant ship arrived at Auckland a number of shop girls were dismissed, and there places were filled by immigrants. QUESTIONABLE TACTICS. A DISPLAY OF PLACARDS. It is doubtful whether one of tho methods employed by the unemployed deputation which waited upon tho Prime Minister to-day did any pood to its cause. Half a dozen of the members of the deputation carried square placards mounted on short poles, and bearing such inscriptions As: “Bread and peace,” “We want work, not charity.” One lengthy deputationist, whoso photograph —published this evening—shows him to be a man of about 6ft. carried a special placard twice the size of tho others, and bearing the words: “Is the man who gets things done competent?” Such a lack of good taste, to say nothing of the impudence displayed, was not calculated to advance the cause of the men who are seeking work. These banner-bearers paraded in front of the Grand Hotel prior to the deputation being received by the Prime Minister, but, as might be expected, their strange conduct provoked many uncomplimentary remarks. The placards were not obtruded at the meeting.