DAY’S WAGES AS THANKSGIVING

Southland Times, Issue 25642, 9 April 1945, Page 4

DAY’S WAGES AS THANKSGIVING

NOT SUPPORTED BY LABOURERS No support for the suggestion that all citizens contribute a day’s salary or wages to a fund for the relief of prisoners of war as a victory day thanksoffering may be expected from the Southland General Labourers’ Union. At a meeting of the executive of the union on Saturday night the suggestion, made by Mr A. J. Kingsland and supported by others at the meeting held to discuss victory day celebrations, was discussed and commented upon. Members were agreed that the workers had played and were playing their parts in the war.

One member said that the labourer section of the community had made his sacrifice throughout the war, and it was asking too much that he should give up a day’s wages. It was the labourer’s family who would be the loser; the labourer did not receive as much for his labour as most other sections of the community, and the family man could least afford to give additional donations.

It was pointed out that in the Southland district alone the membership of the Labourers’ Union before the war was about 1000; today it was less than half that number. The significance of those figures was that the worker on the lower wage ring had not been appealed for; he was doing his real part in the armed services. Moreover, it was said, there was an envelope appeal at present being conducted in Southland, and citizens could well show their thanks and gratitude by contributing as much as they could afford. “We say, let those who wish to give a day’s wages do so, but don’t expect it of the working man with a large family,” said another official. “It is this union’s opinion that the good news of victory over Germany should be celebrated fittingly, but we do not think the worker should be taxed further.”