UNEMPLOYMENT COMMITTEES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22204, 6 March 1934, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT COMMITTEES

“USED AS SMOKE SCREENS”

ST. KILDA COUNCILLORS’ CRITICISM

Objection to the methods adopted by the Unemployment Board was voiced at last night’s meeting of the St. Kilda Borough Council. The council’s representative on the local Unemployment Committee (Cr J. Robinson) and his deputy (Cr S. Hartley) stated that they would not attend any further meetings of the committee. The council as a whole waa of the opinion that the present representation of the Unemployment Committee was simply a farce, and one councillor said that all such committees were being used as smoke screens to cover up the mistakes made by the board.

Cr Robinson said it was with regret that he had tc tender his resignation ns the council’s representative on the Unemployment Committee. He felt compelled to take this step on account of information he had received at the last meeting of the committee which he attended. They were informed at that meeting by the representative of the Unemployment Board on the committee that the committee was appointed to be the agent of the Unemployment Board for the purpose of carrying out the board’s policy. As he was totally opposed to the policy of the Unemployment Board, he could not consistently continue to be a member of a committee appointed 10 act as the board’s agent. It would appear also that he did not represent the St. Kilda Borough Council on the committee since, according to the information given, the members of the committee represented: the Unemployment Board. Cr Hartley, as Cr Robinson’s deputy, said he also wished to tender his resignation. There was no need, be said, to go over the ground again, as his views were the same as Cr Robinson’s.

The Deputy Mayor (Mr A. D. Edgar) said he did not hold any brief for the Unemployment- Board, as the relief workers were not getting a “square deal.” At the same time he thought the council should be represented on the board, and a stiff fight should be made to see that the unemployed received decent treatment. It might be like a voice crying in the wilderness, but they should not cave in. He did not agree in any particular with the way in which the Unemployment Board carried out its work. Cr Robinson said the Unemployment Board was using the committees as smoke screens in order to make them take the blame for the unpleasant things the board was doing. The unemployment committees had no say in matters Affecting relief workers, as all matters were decided in Wellington. The resignations were accepted, and after some discussion it was decided that no appointment be made to represent the council on the Unemployment Committee.