UNEMPLOYMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVII, Issue 19394, 19 January 1933, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT

MEETING OF WORKERS’ UNION. A meeting of the Timaru Unemployed Workers’ Union was held last night. Mr S. Lang presided over an attendance of thirty members. The chairman said that the meeting was the first of the new year, but the attendance was not very large. Last year certain excuses were offered for the men not turning up, but it would seem that with a new executive and new chairman, and with the attendance still small, the excuses offered must appear frivolous. Unemployment was increasing, not decreasing, as the figures showed. In 1931 there were 280 unemployed in Timaru. In 1932, the total had gone up to 630, and now the total stood at 781. He hoped the men present would urge on all unemployed the great need to organise, for uniess they did this, they would not get anywhere. Since last meeting several meetings of the executive had been held, with full attendances, and a good deal of work had been done.

The chairman reported on the deputation which had waited on the Mayor in regard to the request that he should call a mass meeting of citizens to protest against the totally inadequate provision being made for the unemployed. The Mayor gave the deputation a good hearing, but decided to refer the matter to the Unemployment Committee. Some of the members of this Committee thought that the matter should not have come before them, and it was voted out by seven votes to six. That was where the matter stood, unless they decided to take any further steps that evening. The Commissioner of Unemployment (Mr G. C. Godfrey) wrote acknowledging receipt of three resolutions from the Union. He stated that the instructions issued by the Unemployment Board in regard to holiday concessions during Christmas and New Year had general application. In regard I to the abolition of the stand-down week, there was at present no prospect I of the existing scale of relief oper- j ating in the four main centres being extended to include all centres. The position of relief workers who claimed to be unable to pay rent was one which did not come within the functions of the Unemployment Board. The secretary (Mr G. T. Koller) said that the letter had been addressed to the Minister of Employment, and yet they had an official replying stating that the question of rents did not come within the scope of the Board. He did not think that they should let the matter rest where it was. Referring to the stand-down week, the chairman said that while the present conditions obtained, they would ! continue to feel that they were receiv- j ing an injustice. In regard to rents, the Unemployment Committee and the Rev. Clyde Carr, M.P., had received ' similar replies, and it appeared that | the matter was in the hands of Parliament to rectify. They had 24 direct representatives of Labour who were not ' asleep on the job, and it would seem that they would not get satisfaction until they had a change of Government.

Mr R. Laplanche moved that, in regard to assistance being granted to relief workers who were unable to pay their rent, the matter be again brought under the notice of the Minister, pointing out that the resolution urged that legislation be passed granting additional assistance in such cases. The resolution was carried. A letter was received from the Kaiapoi Unemployed Workers' Union asking if the local union would cooperate in trying to get the Canter-

bury Association of Relief Workers' Council to form a united front in Christchurch, embracing all unemployed bodies in Canterbury. It was felt that this was the only method of getting unity throughout Canterbury. If the Timaru Union agreed to the proposal, it was asked that a letter be sent to the Association in Christchurch asking that a united front be formed. The secretary said that the Committee had considered the letter, and were in favour of the proposal, but he had refrained from answering the letter until receiving the endorsement cf the Union.

The meeting was in favour of the proposal, and it was agreed to write along the lines suggested by the letter. Mr Koller pointed out that in the Auckland province, there were 53 relief workers' organisations affiliated with the main union. At Easter last year there were 23 unions affiliated, and this had now gone up to 53. The success of

unemployed workers in the Auckland province in the formation of a provincial association had stimulated the more active bodies in Canterbury to emulate their example. When the success in the Auckland province was generally known, it would give some encouragement to proceed along similar lines here.

The chairman then gave a detailed account of recent meetings of the Timaru Unemployment Committee. Reference was made by Mr Bowden to the forthcoming municipal elections, and he asked if an unemployed man was eligible to contest a seat on the Borough Council or any of the other local bodies. The chairman said that he was not in a position to give a definite answer. He had noticed that a member of the Takapuna Borough Council had had to forfeit his seat because he was a relief worker.

A voice: “He is deprived of his civil rights.” The chairman said that if unem-

ployed workers were not to be permitted to contest seats, they would be disfranchised. It was agreed to secure information on the point.

The meeting adopted a recommendation of the executive that the membership subscription for the year should be reduced to 1/-.

It was agreed to forward letters of thanks to Messrs Henderson and Hannam for past services to the Union, j Mr F. McDougall was appointed vice- ! chairman in place of Mr Henderson, j and Messrs R. Green and A. S. Robin- I son were appointed to the executive. It was agreed to ask the Unemployment Committee to protest against contracting-out for insurance, as it was considered that the new regulation was most unfair.