SIEGE OF HOUSE

Taranaki Daily News, 14 August 1930, Page 10

SIEGE OF HOUSE

WORKLESS DEMONSTRATE PICKETING OF PARLIAMENT DESIRE TO SEE THE PREMIER CROWD THRONGS ENTRANCE By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. Parliament House was placed in * state of semi-siege to-day by a party of unemployed who sought an interview with the Prime Minister. A deputation arrived at the building at about 11 a.m. and thronged the Bowen Street entrance vestibule while their request for an audience was conveyed' to Mr. Forbes. It happened that the Prime Minister was engaged all the morning with a. sitting of the Public Accounts Committee of the House, but Mr. B. Semple, Labour member' for Wellington East, made an appointment for the deputation to return at lunch time on Friday.

This was communicated to the waiting men, together with an expression of regret from the Prime Minister that he would not be able to see them until Friday. The deputation immediately resolved itself into a meeting.. , .One of the number, addressing the gathering as “comrades,” moved that they refute the right of Mr. Semple to make any arrangement for them to meet the Prime Minister, and this was seconded and declared carried . unanimously. The seconder reminded the “comrades” that they, had previously decided not. to leave the building until they had seen Mr. Forbes. “It is up to every man to show' Ifis pliiek'and manliness and stand here until we do see him,” he declared.

The meeting silently acquiesced and, watched over by a small ’ party of police,- the men settled down to wait, being addressed meanwhile at intervals by one or two speakers who appeared to- be leaders of the deputation. About 1 o’clock the meeting passed a motion in favour of picketing the building in the hope that they would be able to .intercept the Prime Minister who, it was stated, was attending a meeting in the city. Pickets were appointed but it later transpired that Mr. Forbes had not-'.eft Parliament House. ■ LABOUR MEMBERS INTERVENE. About 1.30 p.m. seviral members of the Labour Party approached the delegation and endeavoured to secure from them a statement if they were willing to participate in the unemployed deputation arranged to meet the Prime Minister on Friday. This the unemployed* declined to do, the objection being that the deputation ’had been arranged by organised Labour which, it was held, had done nothing to assist those who were in need of work.

The member ofr Manukau (Mr. -W. J. Jordan) “pointed put to the delegation that every day since the session had opened the members ’ ..of the .. Labour Party had impressed bn; members of Parliament the need for action in regard to the unemployment problem. As Mr, Jordan proceeded to inform the delegation that a deputation had been arranged for Friday -several members of the deputation took him and the Labour Party to task for not. having accomplished anything in the interests of the unemployed. They alleged that men, women and children were starving and the delegation bad no hope of obtaining any redress as a result of the deputation on Friday.

GREETED WITH JEI&S. Mr. Semple endeavoured to explain that the Prime Minister was fully booked up until Friday morning and was unable to meet any deputation, but this announcement was received with considerable jeering from those present. It was alleged by several speakers that the Labour Party had.done absolutely nothing to-assist those who were out of work. One or two speakers said they had approached the charitable aid board and been declined assistance.

The member for Napier (Mr.» W. E. Barnard) asked the members of : the party if they were prepared to participate in the deputation on Friday and the reply to this was they were 1 tired of taking part in Labour deputations. “We have no voice in such matters,” said one member. “Everything is left to the representatives of Labour."‘ Mr. Jordan endeavoured to point out that the only way to approach the Primo Minister was through organised Labour channels but members of. the deputation dissented froijn this and asked Mr. Jordan if he would be prepared to share his food with those who were starving. Air. Semple said that throughout his political career’ he had spoken for the unemployed but he did not represent the meinbers of the present deputation and if he' ever did so he would resign from public life. This announcement was greeted with jeers fiom the members of the deputation.

A’fter some further discussion the members of the delegation agreed to state their case to Mr. F. Langstone, Labour member for Waimarino, and Mr. J. T. Hogan, Independent member for Rangitikei, late this afternoon. The demonstrators after listening to Mr. Langtstone dispersed.