WELLINGTON DISORDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21643, 13 May 1932, Page 8

WELLINGTON DISORDERS

EFFORTS TO MEET POSITION GOVERNMENT DOING ITS BEST DISTURBANCES CONDEMNED RIGOROUS REPRESSION OF RIOTS (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 31. Interviewed to-day regarding the recent disturbances in Wellington the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) stated that the Government was doing all it possibly could to meet the unemployment position. “ There is no doubt that it is a very difficult problem,” said Mr Forbes, “and the question of dealing with it is largely governed by the amount of money available for the purpose. The Minister of Employment and the Unemployment Board are giving a great deal of thought and consideration to devising the best methods of providing for the unemployed by means of relief work schemes and the provision of food in cases of want and distress. No man is working more sincerely and sympathetically in the direction of alleviating the difficulties than Mr Coates, and I fee] sure that all right-thinking citizens will credit him with making an honest and sincere endeavour to make the funds at his disposal go as far as possible in mitigating distress among the unemployed and their dependents. “ I think it will be generally recognised,” continued Mr Forbes, “ that the troubles which we are experiencing are almost entirely brought about by worldwide economic conditions over which we in this Dominion have no control. The Government, in its efforts to bring about a rehabilitation of the country’s affairs must look to the community generally for assistance and co-operation and self-sacrifice in ensuring that the beneficial effects which, it is hoped, vjill accrue from the legislative measures which have been recently passed by Parliament will be fully achieved. I greatly appreciate the excellent spirit which has been shown up to the present! by the citizens generally, a large number of whom must be sorely feeling the strain of the prevailing stressful conditions. They have been responding most generously to the financial calls that have been made upon them by the various social organisations which are devoting attention to the relief of distress among the unfortunate men and women who are out of employment. “I am afraid that a continuance of that sympathetic feeling towards the unemployed is not going to be encouraged by riotous actions and vandalism on the part a comparatively small hooligan section *of the community which has caused such destruction and damage to many of the business premises in Wellington and in Auckland. It is to be regretted that such actions must inevitably have the effect of discouraging that source of co-operative help which the Government must rely upon in its efforts to make provision for the unemployed. “As is well known, a certain amount of money has been made available by Parliament by way of the unemployment tax, and it is recognised that this tax means a very heavy burden on a large section of the public. The sum involved in the payment of the present rates of pay to relief workers will, it seems likely, more than absorb the amount of this taxation by the end of the period for which it has been provided, and it is therefore all the more desirable that citizens should be encouraged rather than discouraged to continue that generous response to appeals on behalf of the unemployed which has been hitherto such a gratifying factor in meeting the present emergency. No good purpose can possibly be served by extreme action on the part of the relief workers in striking and by inciting disturbances and the destruction of property. On the contrary, these actions must render the position more difficult.

“I wish also to take this opportunity," proceeded Mr Forbes, “of expressing the Government's warm appreciation of those who have voluntarily come forward to act as special police at the present time. Their loyal co-operation in assisting to maintain law and order merits pur warmest commendation and worthily upholds the best traditions of citizenship. I shoukl like to add also that the manner iu which the officers and members of the Police Force have carried out their duty calls for our hearty appreciation and gratitude. They, have exercised patience and tact in admittedly trying conditions, and the manner in which they have discharged their difficult task affords a marked tribute to the all-round efficiency of the force.

“ I desire again to stress the fact that there is no unlimited supply of funds, and that the Government is not wanting in whole-hearted sympathy for those who are unfortunately suffering at the present time. We will earnestly continue to do our very best with the financial resources at our disposal in extending the greatest possible measure of relief. “To prevent any misunderstanding as to the Government’s attitude in connection with the recent regrettable occurrences,” concluded Mr Forbes, “ I give a very definite assurance that we shall deal severely with all such illegal actions and that the maintenance of law and order in the community will be our paramount consideration at all costs.” MEETING OF RELIEF WORKERS POLICE METHODS CRITICISED DEPUTATION TO MEET MR COATES (Special to Daily Times.) WELLINGTON, May 12. Strengthened by some hundreds of waterside workers who had come up from the wharves after answering a cal! at 8 a.m. a mass meeting of relief workers, held at the Trades Hall this morning, was attended by about 1400 or more people. It was organised by the Central Strike Committee and was at times of a lively and noisy nature, particularly when expressing its unanimous indignation at the tactics of the police on the previous afternoon. The meeting was not open to the press. The demands of the committee were placed before the meeting and adopted unanimously as an expression of the general demands of the relief workers on strike.

Mr P. Fraser, M.P„ supported these demands and said they should have the backing of the general public. Mr Fraser left before the meeting was over in order to arrange with the Minister of Employment for a deputation to meet him this evening.

Much of the meeting was devoted to a criticism of the police, arising out of the police action on the previous afternoon when a clash and fracas occurred in Upper Cuba street. Those who were present vigorously asserted that the police had made their charge upon the crowd in an unprovoked manner. They denied altogether the reports which stated that the stone-throwing had come first. The meeting took such a strong view of this particular question that it passed a resolution demanding that an inquiry should be held into the Cuba street occurrence. Witnesses were apparently eager to swear affidavits in support. Mr Fraser spoke on this also, and is understood to have given an undertaking to do what he could in the way of placing the matter before the Department of Justice. Mr A, J. Cook, of the organised Labour section, had an exciting time as the result of a statement made by him and published in this morning’s Dominion. What annoyed the meeting particularly was Mr Cook’s statement that Kelly and Sandford had ignored the advice of organised Labour officials and called a meeting at the vacant section in Cuba street, where the trouble occurred. Mr Cook was called upon to apologise to Kelly and Sandford, but he refused to do so, and there was a terrific outburst of hooting mixed with abuse. According to information given at to-day’s meeting Kelly and Sandford had in fact been conferring with organised Labour officials at the time when the executive of the Central Strike Organisation made its decision to hold the meeting at the vacant section. In the face of extreme, hostility Mr Cook stood by his statement, and before leaving the

platform he again offered the help of the Alliance of Labour. While he was making his way out of the hall he was subjected to plenty of abuse and was lustily counted out. The meeting supported a vote of confidence in Sandford and Kelly, the second of whom urged an extension of the strike to one of national proportions. A vote of confidence was carried also in the officials and delegates of the Relief Workers’ Central Strike Committee. The meeting carried also a resolution entirely dissociating itself from any violence, window-smashing, or damage done in- the city. A motion asking for the abolition of the wage tax was turned down, and the meeting adjourned on the understanding that a deputation would meet Mr Coates this evening and report to a further meeting at 10 a.m. to-morrow. NEW SCHEME OF RELIEF MEN JUSTIFIED IN STRIKING STATEMENT BY LABOUR OFFICIAL. (Reis United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 12. In a further statement to-day Mr A. J. Cook, president of the Alliance of Labour, said that in his opinion the men had been justified in striking against the new scheme. This view, he said, was the unanimous one of the entire organised Labour movement in Wellington. Mr Cook_ said he would outline the actual position with regard to the strike of relief workers from the point of view of organised Labour. He thought, in the first place, the men had been justified in taking the action they had in coming out on strike as a protest against the especially bad conditions and starvation rates of pay under the new scheme. With reference to the crowd getting out of hand on Tuesday evening, when windows were broken in Lambton quay and Willis street, he honestly thought the relief workers had not been responsible for it. Had Mr Coates given an immediate reply to the deputation that could have been taken back straight away to the men, he (Mr Cook) did not think the trouble would have occurred. On Wednesday he had been invited to address the Strike Committee. He did so, and proposed that they should appoint a small committee of six to meet three representatives from the New Zealand Alliance of Labour, two from the Trades and Labour Council, and Mr P. Fraser, M.P., the whole to constitute a Negotiation Committee to draw up claims for the relief workers, to have them approved by the Strike Committee, and to allow the Alliance to negotiate for a _ settlement on their behalf with the Minister. “A few of the leaders of the strikers unfortunately swayed the rest of the members against that attitude,” Mr Cook said. Consequently we were not allowed to negotiate.” Speaking with reference to the meeting the strikers attempted to hold yesterday, Mr Cook said: —“ I met a big crowd of men down here and strongly advised them not to take part in any public meeting outside at the present time. It was suicide to do so. Unfortunately, they were led to believe by a few irresponsible individuals that the police had given permission to hold the meeting in a vacant section. Those people are being led astray,” Mr Cook concluded. RIOTERS BEFORE COURT

REMANDED ON BAIL. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 12. The 10 men arrested in the city yesterday in connection with the disturbances appeared before Mr E. Page. S.M., and were remanded till to-morrow. The police stated that the charges were similar to those adjourned yesterday. Bail was fixed at £IOO each. To-day’s charges are mostly inciting to lawlessness or being found by night armed with an offensive weapon. An old age pensioner, Henry Dryden, aged 81, who failed to move on when requested by a constable, was fined 10s on a charge of wilful obstruction. On a charge of indecent language he was convicted and discharged.