“WE WANT WORK”

Hokitika Guardian, 11 January 1932, Page 2

“WE WANT WORK”

DUNEDIN UNEMPLOYED ATTEMPT TO RAID STORE. (By Telegraph—Per Frets Association) DUNEDIN January 9. Culminating in a vigorous attempt to break into the grocery premises of Wqrdell Bros., a large demonstration by relief workers who marched through George Street chanting “We want food,” was organised in Dunedin this morning. At 10 o’clock a crowd gathered in the Octagon and marched to the Hospital Board’s office to repeat the demands for relief. Tho Board announced that it wou.d deal with individual cases, but tho cry: “All must get. it or nobody,” was raised, and, alter several women whoso cases were investigated, were turned away because their husbands had had some work this week, tiio crowd, in an angry mood, marched to Wardell’a. Although confronted by Police Superintendent Eecles and a body of constables, they mgde desperate attempts to epter the premises to help themselves. Tho onrush was beaten buc-k, and much haranguing took place. A plate glass window was broken in the shop and a detective received a huge lump of brick mortar on his log. The police were very tactful, and little hostility *was shown to them ns individuals.

There was practically no violence in the unemployed demonstration, and in the police handling of it. The plate glass window at WardelTs that wasp smashed seemed to be the sole casualty. The .crowd,' however, became so great that all traffic was suspended between 11 a.m. and 1 p.ni. By this time there were only some three hundred persons in the crowd, but when an attempt was made to run trams through, some women lay down pn the rails, and the manager had to suspend the main street service. In the meantime it- transpires that the oqly casualty was to a labour leader, Mr O’Rorke, who, when attempting ■ to address the crowd, was struck on the head with a large stone. The stone caused a wound, which required cjressing. The police at first pre» sent had no batons, but a supply ol batons was brought by the police reinforcements. The. batons , were not usbd, and tho whole situation was tactfully’ handled.' Superintendent Eecles was present in person, and'jollied the crowd along good humouredly.

POSITION IN WELLINGTON. MANY FACING starvation. WELLINGTON, January 9. Following a meeting of the unemployed this'morning, a large body of men went newspaper officei),with a view ,to, making a public statement on behalf of the men. Two were admitted to the" premises of the “Evening sost,”> Mepsrr T, Kelly and L. Parsloo, they slid that the position of cthe relief workers apd the. unepir .ployed had becopie intolerable.; The rations and relief had been, reduced, and now the slhglej men were to get no’ work after February 18 th, , The men were in n dilemma, They were faced with starvation. They were being thrown out. of their homes, and were losing everything they had saved. The men thought that the period had been reached when the Unemployment Board could not give work, and that tbe payment of sustenance should be made, according to tbe provisions of the Act. In view of the winter, some bold steps must be taken to provide for the men, women and children. In lieu of suspenance, there should be continuity of work.