“FOUND LOAFING”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22675, 13 September 1935, Page 11

“FOUND LOAFING”

MAORI RELIEF WORKERS THE IMPUTATION RESENTED (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) WELLINGTON, September 12. Exception to a statement by the Minister of Employment (Mr fe. G. Smith) that a number of Maori relief workers in a certain district had been found loafing was taken by Mr Tirikatene in the course of his speech m the Address-in-Reply debate in the House of Representatives to-day. Earlier in the afternoon the Minister had stated, in reply to a question that the particular relief workers concerned had been suspended by the certifying officer becauso they had been loafing. " I regret that the certifying officer could not have found a better word to describe these people," said Mr Xirikatene. Mr M'Leod: It would be hard to find a better word. Mr Tirikatene: Does the cap fit? That is the point. I do not think the cap fits, and I appeal to the Minister of Employment to instruct certifying officers in a certain district to view these matters in a more reasonable light. Continuing, Mr Tirikatene appealed for a greater measure of equality in the treatment accorded to Maori and European relief workers. "We pay the same taxes and levies as Europeans," he said, " but the allocations meted out to the Maoris are far below thoso of the Europeans, lie referred to the faot that the Labour Party was fighting for better conditions for the people. The Minister of Employment: We are all lighting for better conditions Mr Tirikatene: Well, I hope you will show it. I almost believe, however, that before the election takes place the relief workers, both Maori and pakeha, will havo a rise.