RESTORE THE HOURS

Evening Post, Volume CXIII, Issue 28, 3 February 1932, Page 8

RESTORE THE HOURS

LABOUR, MEMBERS' APPEAL

POOR REWARD FOR

LOYALTY

The' new allocation of unemploynient rolief was the. subject of a. statement made to;-day, by the four Wellington Labour members of'Parliament:(Messrs. P.' Eraser, R. Semple, 8.-McKeen, and C. H. Chapman). , . < ~r-.j ~ .'.'When we Tead the announcement," the statement, commenced,"we were amazed'that no notice of the change had been given.. We contend that the Whole: matter, has reached the point where it -.becomes insufferable for the .unemployed, especially as the announcement >/followed';.'; so ' on Mr. Coates's statement that: there would be an improvement in the whole position. The men affected by the announcement dl jast• refused 'to rparficipkte-/iii-'a' strike which : they. considered- to be foolish.;,, They had-.acted f on our'adviee. that if" would ;be futile- for' them 'to take jart, and their-reward has been that their hours of work have been reduced and they are faced with ine'vitab(le starvation. ', Certainlf ' the decjsion : was the most ill-timed that we have ever known. ..-•.- ,; ■-,-• '^We- understand that the decision to reduce iours. was due to the allocation of .funds •■•i'rom--the- Unemployment Board being ..insufficient .t'oi-inoet the needs of fthe jineniplbyed It seems to us that there is only ouc way to meet the position, and that is to increase .the' allocation.;; That:': sliould be done in the name of ordinary humanity. It will be quite impossible for a live on hjs average, earnings, bfi ayfractibn over lOsvpcr week. He cannot get a room for less than 7s 6d or 10s a week, and there is-prac-tically nothing left for food and ilp'th-mg.--.i The single: men are; coming to *te iPpsitipn- where ■, they, consider,- it would be better tb; go to:gaol. •■■They feel they would at least^get three meals a day, a bed, and protection from the elements. The hardship applies equally to the.married men, and where there'are children there is a double tragedy. -The Government must grasp,the fact that the unemployed men,are being driven to desperation, and if untoward events occur the Responsibility will'lie with the Government, for not -adopting a more, efficient and humanitarian policy. '.There is, a growing' feeling, that the Unemployment Board, is a mistake It.simply serves as a buffer to protect the Government. The- responsibility should ,be , placed , directly, on. the shoulders of the Minister and the members ; of the Government generally." . ". -Tte.statement went on to! say that t.*e,« great majority-of -the unemployed in-'-."Wellington were decent, law-abid-ing men, and had 'kept their heads -■ during the .agitation; for a strike, although in sympathy with the Hutt men. They had listened ito reason,1 but: itv;was felt that .if the ;Government. pursued, its present.policy; further efforts -in ihe direction of avoiding,trouble, would be futile. ,- "We desire; to urge Upon the Government the' necessity of restoring the hours and providing work .during what is now tho stand-down week," the statement proceeded. '.'.The sooner the, Government takes; steps to ensure at least a five day .working week with adequate-pay the better. If not out of sympathy- -with the men, the,, G.ovei-n----ment; appears to be put of.,touch with 'the rear facts of the situation. We understand that the Government is moving in the matter and we trust that what is done will bq effeetiye."