UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF.

Waipa Post, Volume 44, Issue 3178, 17 May 1932, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF.

NEW ZEALAND people, as a community, have only detestation for the outbreaks of lawlessness in the cities, and for those responsible for these blots on the fair name of our land; but the contention of the demonstrators and their leaders that the Unemployment Board is the cause is gaining fresh adherents day by day. This is because the Board, and the Minister for Unemployment, are so "reticent in telling the people the true state of affairs, financially. Why is it that money is not available for giving more employment to the registered men on relief works. Mr Coates has talked glibly about a new scheme he is propounding that will afford employment for several thousands of these men, and at the same time he urges them to have patience until the new scheme is moulded into shape. But we are now in the third week since May 1st —the date when the special tax on wages was imposed, increasing each worker's contribution four-fold—and nothing practical has eventuated, so far as the worker in the country towns and districts is concerned. It seems that the man in the city has been given preference over his compeer in the country. To say that it is because of the outbreaks of lawlessness in the four main centres is to believe that the Government is penalising the country man for remaining loyal. Mr Coates may make his promised announcement any day now—and he may not. That is one of the troubles. Surely the people outside the four cities are entitled to know when the new project will be operative? Hope deferred maketh the heart sad—and it also has other effects by no means pleasant. Representations have been made to the Minister by responsible men and bodies all over the Dominion, and he calmly replies that " the matter is under consideration," or he ignores the communications entirely. All who try to understand the situation will concede that he has a very unpleasant task to perform; but it was hoped that he, who had been blazoned all over the country as " the man who gets things done," has the capacity to do those things that he is entrusted to do. Seemingly he will so fray the edges of the people's patience that there will have to be demonstrations in centres away from the cities before pointed attention will be directed to the parlous plight of the relief workers. In our own town, practically the whole of the men on relief work are married, with wives and children dependent upon their efforts. A few have been able occasionally to supplement their relief earnings, and so meet their obligations; but the great majority have only the pay they get through the Unemployment Committee'with which to provide food and shelter for their dependents. It may be that their plight is no worse, or only little worse, than it was prior to May Ist; but they were led to expect an easement of the strain on that date, and they looked forward hopefully. The first week or so was allowed to slip by in the belief that next day there would be an announcement of better conditions. Now we are in the third week, arid still the ray of hope is as dim as before. The statement credited to the Minister that the idle week will be dispensed with gradually, starting with the cities, seems totally unfair. Svf-ely Mr Coates could have evolved some better method? He has the advice of the Unemployment Board, and the continual reminders from leading public men all over the Dominion; therefore it cannot be imagined seriously that he believes there is not so great a need in the country towns and districts as in the four principal centres.