RELIEF CAMPS

Hokitika Guardian, 17 September 1931, Page 5

RELIEF CAMPS

LABOUR MINISTER’S DEFENCE.

(By Telegraph—Per Brets Association) </ ; •

WELLINGTON, September 16

A deputation consisting of Mr Jas. Roberts (Alliance o. Labour), Mr Cook (General Secretary or tile New Zealand Workers’ Union), Mr Wa.sh (Seamen’s Union), Mr O’Reilly spid Robinson (National Unemployed WorkersUnion), was received by Hon. Mr Smith to-day. Mr Roberts said that the deputation’s object was to protest against the camp scheme, and to suggest other means whereby the position could be improved to. the advantage .of the Government and of the unemployed. The camp wages, said Mr Roberts, were twopence halfpenny per hour. Moreover, the expenditure in this connection was being made in such way tliht it merely provided cheap money for the local bodies. The whole of the benefit was going to the laud owners and to the ratepayers, while the workers found the bulk of the money, and did th e work. There was an uproar then heard outside (where the unemployed were at variance with the police) and the delegates asked leave to go out and see what it was all about ; but they were told that if they did, the interview would b e at an end,

“You will do no good by going down there,” said Mr Smith, - r Replying to the deputation, Air Smith said that he had listened to a lot of extraneous matter, but in regard to the suggestion that these camps should be abolished, he reminded them that there were now 51,00 b unemployed, and that the money coming in was only fifty thousand pounds a week. He had never heard any expression of opinion hy a member oi the Board or by the Government that there was any intention- to smash the Union rates of pay. It was the economic conditions that had forced the position. v •. ’ The Minister said that the men in these camps were in better conditions than were many of the men in the Public Works Camps in 1925, 1926 and 1927, because they were being found.

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