“GIRLS ON THE STREETS”

Stratford Evening Post, Volume III, Issue 347, 30 April 1935, Page 6

“GIRLS ON THE STREETS”

WOMAN’S ALLEGATION MINISTER’S SHARP REPLY TO DEPUTATION I f REQUEST FOR MORE RELIEF PAY Press Association —Copyright Christchurch, April 29. A deputation representing the unemployed waited on the Minister of Employment, the Hon. S. G. Smith, this morning urging an increase of 10s a week in relief pay and the placing ox unemployed girls on the same basis as single unemployed men with regard to wages. During the speeches one member of the deputation, Mrs. Penny, said single girls in every city in New Zealand weie not being given a fair deal. Many were being driven on to the streets. The Minister: “You must not that; stick to what you know at Christchurch and don’t cast stigmas on centres that have done their duty by single girls and protected them.” Mrs. Penny replied that she had been at Wellington and Dunedin and' maintained that what she said was correct. After other speakers had been heard the Minister promised that he would make a personal investigation of all the complaints. He hinted, however, that if the request for a general increase of Us a week was granted the Unemployment Board’s funds would be “warded out in five months. The Christchurch Unemployed Committee at a meeting to-day decided to ask the Unemployment Board to consider an increase in the bonus to be paid to relief workers in certain categories as part of the celebration of the King’s jubilee. The request agreed upon was that the Government be asked to provide a bonus of one months pay instead of one week’s pay. Some members questioned whether the board had the money to meet, the request, which would cost more than £200,000. However, there was no vote against the proposal. 1 '