RELIEF WORKS

Southland Times, Issue 21275, 22 December 1930, Page 6

RELIEF WORKS

i QUESTION OF WAGES DISCUSSION BY FARMERS’ UNION , CONFERENCE TO BE CALLED The policy of paying 14/- a day to men on relief works was discussed at the meeting of the Southland Farmers’. Union on Saturday, the effect of such wages on farm labourers being particularly stressed. After considerable discussion it was decided to call a conference of local bodies to endeavour to adjust wages. There was a great deal of discussion going on about the Unemployment Board and the basic wage of 14/- a day, Mr W. G. McKay said. It was true that 14/- was being paid on relief works even if all the men were not making that. It put the farm labourers in a very unfair position. The men on relief work were earning their money with eight hours of work while the farm labourer earning £2 and his keep was working much longer hours. The farmers had much to thank their labourers for and they should stand by them. The men were going off the land and they could not blame them. They should be helped and the best way to do that was to back up the report of the economic committee. “Are we paying too little or is the Government. paying too much?" Mr R. Sim asked. Farm labourers should be better treated, Mr McKay said, and the farmers could not give them better treatment until the present position was adjusted. After some discussion on the question of unemployment, Mr A. W. Clark moved the following remit from the Invercargill branch: “That this meeting registers in the strongest possible terms its objection to the establishment of a basic wage of 14/- per day on unemployment relief works.”

Mr W. H. Ward seconded the remit and in doing so said that there were a lot of complaints about men making only 3/- and 4/- a day, but there were 'men on relief works who were making nearly £2. They were very “flush” of cash and were riding to and fro in taxis.

Several members expressed the opinion that relief wages should not be higher than 9/- or 10/- a day. Mr L. Hill asked why unemployment was increasing. The men were being enticed off the land, he said, and in his opinion the Government was fostering the trouble. If the wages on relief works w’ere cut down there would be fewer men riding to and from relief works in cars and there would be more work available elsewhere. The remit was carried. Mr G. Hamilton moved that the union should compliment the Southland County Council on its action in reducing wages, and this was agreed to. The president (Mr Erskine Bowman) said that there were too many people who held that the unemployed did not want to work. That was not right because he knew from experience that there were dozens of men who were trying hard to find work. Mr P. Arnott then moved the following remit from the Seaward Downs branch: “That in view of the decreased earnings of Southland ratepayers, the executive takes the responsibility of convening a conference of delegates from all Southland local bodies to discuss an adjustment of local body employees’ salaries and wages.” In moving the remit Mr Arnott said that it was time some action was taken. The majority of the men on salaries and wages were reasonable men and would not object to a slight reduction. They could not expect the men to volunteer to take less.

From what had been done in other centres it did not look as if they would receive much support, Mr E. K. Sim said. The farmers as a community had been cut 60 per cent., Mr T. Major said, and all sections of the community should be prepared to take a cut too. Mr J. Cowie said the county councils would have their revenue reduced by the new Government valuations. He believed the values would be down £3 or £4 an acre in some cases.

The president asked what action the meeting wanted. Mr Arnott said that he thought the union should advise all local bodies that a conference would be called in February and the local bodies could meet and decide upon some policy before the conference took place. This was agreed to.