UNEMPLOYMENT

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20091, 21 November 1930, Page 3

UNEMPLOYMENT

EX-SERVICEMEN STATE THEIR CASE.

TELEGRAM TO MR RANSOM. Claiming that their position was becoming desperate and that they must have w-ork to tide them over until the operation of the Unemployment Act brought relief, nearly 100 ex-Service-men met at the Jellicoe Hall yesterday afternoon and resolved to ask the Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. E. A. Ransom) to help tbem by providing money for woilc. There was a militant section present which proceeded to ask for explanations on various points of detail, but, finally, they seemed to be satisfied that the Returned . Soldiers' Association was doing its best for all. Biccarton Avenue Work. The president of tho Association G. A. Havden), who was in the chair, said that "the meeting had been called by the unemployed ex-Servicemen themselves. One of the topics discussed at 3, meeting on Tuesday had been a statement by Cr. J. W. Beanland that all men on "the Biccarton avenue work were returned soldiers. Mr Beanland had been misinformed about this, but they had been assured that, from Monday next, all the men employed there would b; returned men supplied by the Association. Xo one would think, he added, that the establishment of an Unemployment Board meant the end of unemployment ' in this country. He was sure the Returned Soldiers' Association would do all possible to make the system a success, but the effect could not be immediate. Personally, ho hoped there would be no dole system. What Association Has Done. Since April, continued Mr Havden, their Association had spent about £.'>ooo in subsidising work for unemployed ex-Servicemeu. About -98 had registered since October Ist, the average daily number of callers at the office being seventy. The executive had sent out an appeal for the provision of work to all telephone subscribers, and the response from them had been excellent. The executive had done, and would do, all possible for the men, but its funds for the relief of unemployment were running low. One of the men moved that, before the meeting was declared open, Mr T. L. Prummond take the chair. Mr Havden: T am afraid I cannot accept that motion. This is a meeting of returned men, and I am president of the Association. (Applause.) Mr E. F. Willcox (secretary) said that relief work was apportioned a3 fairly as it could be. The men must register regularly, for those registered were the only men taken into account. Every case was treated on its merits. So far as ho was concerned, there was no qestion of favouritism. If there were complaints, let the men come to the office, and he would see what could be done. Work for Long Periods. Mr J. H. Prisk asked why many men were kept on one job for a long period, while others had practically no work at .ill. The chairman replied that, on the work in the Heathrote County, it was a condition that the same gangs should be kept on. On the Waimakariri River Trust work the Trust had not adhered to its agreement to keep ex-Servicemen employed after the subsidy provided by the Association had been used up; though he understood they were taking some back. He knew of no other works where men were employed for more than a fortnight at a time. Mr Willcox also pointed out that they were not the employers. The Association merely found the men the jobs, but if any injustice had been done they did their best to get to the bottom of it. A member: You muat remember that there are men who work and men who crawl. Particular instances of alleged unfairness were cited. The Single Men. One member asked if nothing at all was to be done for the single men. Were they going to be shelved ? The chairman : Vou forget that the activities of this Association aro only an oxtra to those of the main schemes for tho relief of the unemployed. The executive decided that the men with the children should receive first preference.

"I want to sec the single men given a hotter chance," remarked a member. "So far as I know there is no law in the land saying that a man shall marry and have children, but there was a law forcing singl© men to go to the war." Another sf>eaker said that tno men wanted to back tho Association ''P> and their idea in calling the meeting was to emphasise the seriousness of the situation. , . . Mr J Laurenson thought that the Acting-Prime Minister should be advised of the seriousness of the position among unemployed ex-sorvicemen in Christchurch. and that he be asked to make a grant sufficient to tide them over till the provisions of the Unemployment Act came into force. He moved a motion to this effect. The chairman: If we sent this to Mr Ransom he will immediately enquire how many men are out of worK, whether thev are married or single, and how many are willing to go to the country. Now how many of you are willing to go to the country. Hands up!— Over forty hands went up. . , The motion was carried.

Payment of Levy. One among the audience asked what would happen if a man ' was to pay the first instalment of tho un employment levy when it became due. The* chairman: If any man canno find the 7s 6d, let him come and state his case before the Benevolent Committee of the Association, and he will get fair treatment. . . lanf Mr T. li. Dnunraond, vice-president of the Association, said that most ot those present were there because they had a personal interest in the business, but if they had taken the same interest in the Association five or ten years ago many of them would notfinJ themselves in the position they ■ The moral -was for ex-servicemen "stick" together in good times bad. How many of the faces they saw that day would they see at the annual meeting of the Associatio . Telegram to Mr Ransom. The following telegram was alterwards dispatched to Mr Ransom: At a meeting of unemployed returned soldiers, held in the Jclhc<*> Hall this afternoon, which was attended by 19J. the following resolution was iinnliimnuslv carried : "That this meetin-z ot unemployed returned soldiers reonest the ActnviPrime Minister to allccnte immediate v a sufficient sum of money to provide work until the Unemployment Act becomes operative." My executive strongly supports this resolution, and in tliankin fT von for previous valuable assistance urrjes that immediate action, he taken. "Forty-three men have signified their willingness to go into the country. (Sgd.) HAYDTCX. President. WIT/I/GOX. Secretary.