EXISTED ON THE DOLE

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LV, Issue 17454, 31 December 1930, Page 12

EXISTED ON THE DOLE

RELIEF FOR NINE YEARS DURHAM MINER’S EXPERIENCE A man who has existed on tho unemployment dole almost continuously for tne past nine years is Mr. R. Million, xormcrly of Bishop Auckland, Durham, who. arrived in Auckland with his wife and four small children by the Kangitiki. Mr, Million, a 'miner by trade, has come to New Zealand by means of an assisted passage, and it is his intention to settle in Huntley. “Conditions arc very discouraging at Home/’* said Mr. Million on his arrival. “The coalmining industry is particularly bad. In my own district there are 3(5 pits, and only three of them are working, and most of us have been on the dole. I have had only nine months ’ work since the strike of 1924, and my total working time sinco the big strike in 1921 amounts to 18 months. Tho alloAvance paid to us was not very much. As a single man I received 17s a week, and then after I was married it was slightly increased and I drew an additional 7s a week for my wife and 2s for . each child, making nvy greatest allowance 34s a week. The eldest child is eight years old and the youngest is only 10 weeks. ‘ ‘ Even when I was working I drew only 36s for- a six-shift week. The trouble was that a man could not refuse to take work at this figure when he got the chance, for otherwise he was disqualified from receiving his lolc. Things are bad, too, in the foundries and railway workshops, which now only work about three or four days each week. There aro practically as many dependent for relief upon the parish Board of Guardians as there, are receiving the dole as unemployed, and in any ease, there are more unemployed than there aro employed. In my own case, I had to walk 14 miles a day to and from my work, and then I received two shillings more than I was drawing under the dole.

“The living conditions are pretty bad. I lived in a two-roomed cottage. The rent was 6s a week, and I have seen bettor stables thnn that cottage. Clothes were fairly cheap, and it was possible to get quite a good tailored suit for £2 10s or £3. but the prices for eatables were very high. The cheapest flour was 2s 2d a stone, and a 41b. loaf of bread was sd, but has since been reduced to 4sd. n Mr. Million is of the opinion that whatever tho conditions may be in New Zealand they could not be any worse than those ho left behind in England.