Emphatic Protest.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20328, 11 June 1934, Page 6

Emphatic Protest.

Conference Objects to Task Labour.

Per Press Association. AUCKLAND, June 9. AN EMPHATIC PROTEST against the Unemployment Board’s task labour proposal was entered at an unemployment conference, which was attended by representatives of Auckland local bodies and social organisations. The -Mayor of Auckland, Mr G. W. Hutchison, said that delegates from the various relief jobs had waited on him that morning regarding the inauguration of the system at 'New Lynn. A certain amount of work was required to be done under the scheme, and it was represented that a number of unfit men would not be able to earn as much money as previously. There was no provision by which men who could do the work in under the stipulated time should receive more money.

After hearing a deputation from the men, the following motion was unanimously carried:

“ That this conference emphatically protests against the policy of task labour as initiated by the Unemployment Boards as being unnecessarily harsh in its incidence and provocative of ill-feeling. Further, the conference asks that its operation be suspended pending a further investigation.” The Mayor said the protest would be telegraphed to Wellington immediately. It was also decided to protest against the reduction made to the men on sustenance allowances, in spite of the assurance given by the Minister to the men that the matter would be satisfactorily dealt with.