MARCH TO BASIN

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

MARCH TO BASIN

AN ORDERLY MEETING

MR. COATES'S SCHEME

Some 500 men ofil relief works from the .Eastern Suburbs, walked1 through the Mt. Victoria tunnel this afternoon and formed up? on the bank, at the 'Basin Keserve. ■ The meeting was most orderly in every way, it being decided that unless the stand could .be granted them', as shelter from the steady drizzle, nobody .should' enter it. The speeches dealt with the question of the reduction of hours and those present were urged not to' pay rent if the principle was adhered to. It was mentioned tb a. "Post"- reporter at the~ meeting that unless a full rentvbook were produced, the ration given by'the Charitable Aid Board was' affected to a very considerable extent. ; :. One speaker said that they did not wish to see, any reserve which the Government ;held for the defence' of these shores touched fbr relief purposes; but there were other ways',in which . the .Government .could' get' the money: which should be made 'use of "immediately. Most speakers said that the patience of the men was exhausted; and unless something were done they could riot be expected to. stand it any longer. "The Government of 'this: country does not realise that they are our servants, and riot we theirs,'' said", one speaker. Others stressed the firm resolution of relief workers to be putback oh 'the two, three,'and four-day classifications.' : ,'' ■ : * ■ '-'• ■ Mr. J. I. Goldsmith, (chairman of the Unemployment Committee, who was well received, addressed the1 men, pointing out that the alternatives1 on the last allocation byVthe Government consisted in either taking off men who liad been -working sirice January of last y.earj or spreading the :w6rk rouiid, if jail eligible men were to' be included. He had1 Just come from the Minister .who controlled "unemployment (the Bight Hon.' J. G." Cb'ates)," and ho could assure them that allrtieri could go; back to 'work." An' additional allocation had' been ■':promised ■' this week'which, ha thought,' would •; ■'.'' enable ■■ every man to be put 'back as-■ before. Mr. Goldsmith advised that the men who had left" their work to attendthe meeting should go backf arid' make up their''time: there (Would be no victimisation."1' "■'■ ''■'■'-':■; *■■■.-.'■:.■ ..;--.1••.'.■; .-■;■.''. With regard to the ■ future, he continiiedj they were endeavouring to place every man in, work; They had been -assured - by- the Minister in Charge- of Unemployment that before very; long: he-would: have some scheme that would> be satisfactory, not to all, for it was riot possible to satisfy everyone. Particularly it would apply to single men, "but" beydiid'that he could notvsayjmore at ; the'inpraent.- _.--.,."- The majority of the men"-who forriied the procession to -the-Basin were standing down to-day, but as the news of the processionl spread, spine -left1, jobs to join in.