MARRIED MEN’S PLIGHT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18163, 10 August 1933, Page 6

MARRIED MEN’S PLIGHT

INADEQUATE RELIEF WAGES REPRESENTATIONS RENEWED DISTRICT MEMBER ACTIVE Representations on behalf of Gisborne married men without children whose earnings from relief work are inadequate for the support of themselves and their wives were renewed this morning, after the receipt of an answer to the Mayor’s request yesterday, intimating that no further allocations can be made for the present. The action of the Mayor, Mr, J. Jackson, followed the receipt of a deputation of the unemployed married men, who pointed out that they were receiving relief in only two weeks out of four, and that recent restrictions had placed them in a most difficult position.

To-day Mr. D. W. Coleman, M.P., joined forces with the Mayor and the district certifying officer in representing, to. the. Minister in charge of unemployment the necessity for increasing the allocations, even by so small a margin as would allow one day’s work for each man during the stand-down weeks. 1

When it became known that yesterday’s telegrams from the Mayor and certifying officer, Mr Fulton, had been unsuccessful in their aim of securing additional allocations, a-strong deputation was formed this morning to wait on the Mayor and Mr D. W. Coleman, M.P., Mr Fulton also being asked to be present again. Speakers for the married men without children and for single men in the town emphasised the great difficulties they were experiencing, and asked that further steps bo taken to impress the unemployment authorities with the desperateness of their position. It was stated that the average earnings from ,relief work were 18s 9d in the ease of married men without children, and 9s in the case of single men, the latter being without even ,the opportunity of accepting work in the country camps, owing to there being no vacancies.

In reply to the deputation, Mr Coleman stated that the men must ibe aware that it was not for want of local representations that their circumstances had not been improved. The Relief Committee, and the Mayor and certifying officer respectively, had done what they could to help matters, and yesterday’s requests from Mr Jackson and Mr Fulton should have appealed to the unemployment authorities as reasonable he considered. On his own part, he was fully aware ol the position of the men, and had repeatedly taken up the matter with the Unemployment Board, both as a member of the local committee and from his placo in the House. He had pointed cut many times that two .stand-down weeks in each month were experienced in Gisborne, and that this brought the average wages to a very low level. He undertook to represent their position once again to the Minister of Unemployment, however, in the hope that something might be secured in the way of relief from the most pressing of their hardships. The deputation then withdrew, after thanking the Mayor and district member, and acknowledging the good offices of the certifying officer. Mr. Coleman later addressed the following telegram to the Minister of Employment, the Hon. Adam Hamilton: “Married men without children have no work this week. This happens often. That means they only receive 18s 9d per week. Men getting desperate. Big deputation waited on Mayor and self and. ce/tifying officer this morning. Strongly urge you -see that all married men without children and single men receive at least one day’s work in stands down weeks. Strongly urge you grant request made by Mayor and certifying officer for extra money this week.—D. W. Coleman, M.P.” The district member proposes to write to the Minister, outlining the position and the arguments for' an increased allocation in greater detail.