WORK REFUSED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20365, 24 July 1934, Page 7

WORK REFUSED.

Rennie Case Takes j New Turn. PAYMENT DEMANDED. IS MAGISTRATE'S ORDER STILL FLOUTED? “ I can live on air. it eeems, so far as the local Labour Department is concerned.” said Mr Alexander Rennie this morning, when he gave a reporter details of the latest development in the now well-known case in which the Unemplovment Board has endeavoured to collect 2s 6d per week out of his relief worker's wage of 13s 6d a trees Mr Rennie said that when he called on Mr R. T. Bailey, officer in charge of the Christchurch Labour Bureau, this morning, his request for work was refused, and Mr Bailev ordered him out of the office. Mr Rennie -ii»o alleged that Mr Bailey threatened to call the police if he did not lea\ e immediately. It will be recalled that last week Mr H P Lawrv, S.M., discharged Rennie, stating that the Unemployment Board, bv its interference with the discretion of the Court, had lost £56. The Magistrate referred in strong terms to tne action of the board in demanding restitution from relief workers irrespective of the directions of the Coin t. 'The Court had ordered Rennie to refund £56 within four years at such times and in such instalments as were directed bv the Probation Officer. The Magistrate said: “ This man had been getting the munificent sum of Ids 6d a week. The department, knowing that was all his earnings, demanded the refund of 2s 6d a week " The Probation Officer had made no immediate order for restitution, leaving the matter open till Rennie was in a better position to make restitution. the Court’s order allowing four years, making provision for lenient action of this nature. The Minister's Admission. A complete admission that the action of the Unemployment Board was wrong was made by the Hon A. Hamilton in a statement last Thursday, when the Minister stated that the board agreed entirelv with the Magistrate’s decision in dismissing the case. The Minister added that when reference was made to the case previously the board took steps to ensure that there should be no repetition of that procedure. “In these circumstances I felt that I was entitled to go and ask for work.’ said Mr Rennie, in telling his story. “ Yesterday I called at the Labour Bureau and was told to call again as Mr Bailey was out of town. I have had no work since April 9. Naturally, I was keen to get work, as I have been living on rations from the Relief Depot, and a grocerv order of 2s 6:1 per week from the R.S.A. lam a returned soldier, and went through the Boer War as well. *' This morning I went back to the Bureau and the clerk in the single men’s department said. 4 You have got to see Mr Bailey.’ When finally I saw Mr Bailev. after waiting half an hour, he said. 4 1 never sent for you, and you were not sent to see me.' Interview With Mr Bailey. “ To my surprise he then- asked me what terms I was prepared to make to pay back the £56 I owed the department. That was the way he expressed it. I replied. 4 I will make no terms, as according to the Magistrate I owe nothing.’ “ Mr Bailey then said, 4 All right, we are done with you ! Get out! ’ I then told him that according to the Minister I should have been working since April, when I was stood down. Mr Bailey said. 4 Get out, or I will call the police! ’ I went, but told him I was not done with him yet.” Mr Rennie said that since April 9 he had not been living—he had been “ merely existing.” He had not paid his unemployment levy as he had nothing to pay it with. He was afraid that he might be penalised on that score, and he had no guarantee that the relief depot would continue rations, although he was glad to say that he had been treated most kindly there. Letter to the Minister.

Mr Rennie wrote to the Minister himself some time ago. and has not yet received even an acknowledgment of his letter. In writing, he asked the Minister what steps the department was going to take to.put him back in work.

A “ Star ” representative rang Mr Bailey this morning and acquainted him with the information given by Mr Rennie in the interview. A request was made for permission for a reporter to call for a personal interview with Mr Bailey.

Mr Bailey replied, “ You can say that I refused to discuss the matter.”