DISMISSED RELIEF WORKERS

Hokitika Guardian, 2 January 1930, Page 7

DISMISSED RELIEF WORKERS

MINISTER’S STATEMENT. RESPONSIBILITY OF I EMPLOYERS. DUNEDIN, Dec. 28. When approached in connection with the recent statements telegraphed from Wellington regarding the dismissal of casual employees from the Railway Department, the Minister of Railways, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, stated that the position was that when the Government’s relief scheme was put into operation last October the Railway Department was supplied by the Cabinet committee with extra funds and asked to place as many additional tradesmen as could be employed on necessary work. Some hundreds of men were accordingly taken on throughout the Dominion and had been retained as long as funds and work permitted. “Even now,” said the Minister, “only about half of the extra men have been discharged, although nit one stage it appeared that a number would have to be relieved about the middle of December, In view of the desirability of keeping as many as possible in work until Christmas time, a special meeting of the Cabinet committee was called on December 19 to consider the position, and the committee was able to arrange fer the retention of the men until De-, cember 24, but’ it was reluctantly compelled to issue instructions for 237 distributed throughout the service to bo put off w’ y that date arrived, as no further money was available from the special fund provided by the Prime Minister. “It is well known that in common w’itli railway systems throughout the world, our Department is passing through a difficult period of its existence, and the task of reorganising its services to meet changing conditions in transport leaves no margin for loading on to the Department’s working expenses, account the wages bill; for several hundred additional men. The special funds made available to the Department by the Cabinet committee have been used up and the work provided by them has no doubt enabled a happier Christmas to be spent in many homes. “If individual employers would recognise the real it brings to the homes of working people, 1 do not see how they could fail to commence 1930 w'ith a resolution to give employment to at least one mere man. Such a movement would wipe out unemployment overnight. The Government has a duty to the community and has demonstrated in a practical way its recognition of that duty, but the private employer has a less impersonal duty to his fellow-men and the time is ripe for him to fellow the lead of the Government in discharging his responsibility.

“There can be no doubt that there is a growing tendency for all classes to lean upon the Government in these matters and mistakenly to dismiss them as national problems with which the individual has no concern.i’

As the first step towards creating local interest in the problem, Mr Taverner urged such bodies as Chambers of Commerce, Manufacturers’ Associations, Employers’ Federations and others to take the matter in hand during the new year. He was confident that this, together with the assistance of the State, which could always take up slack, real progress would be made in 1930.