SERIOUS PLIGHT

Hokitika Guardian, 29 June 1932, Page 5

SERIOUS PLIGHT

OF UNEMPLOYED

SINGLE MEN ARE DESPERATE.

(Per Press Association — Copyright.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, June 28.

“The tempers of -tJ)e unemployed single men are becoming strained,” said a Union official, when a deputation representing the men waited on tho North Taranaki Unemployment Co mittee to-day. Tile Union Secretary added that if the Committee could not give the single men some, furtbeq j-.e-p,' lief, lie would not be responsible for their actions. Some, he said, had threatened to break windows. One member of the deputation said that he had been to the police station, but he had not threatened to break the station windows, as some others bad done. However, if be could nor obtain any further relief, l:e intended to go begging in the streets, thus inviting arrest, and a trial before the court. He believed that the law would hold that a King's subject sliqjdd not be allowed to starve.

Complaints were made against the action of farmers who, under the relief scheme, Were dismissing men to secure the advatit.iuro of subsidised labour.

Bitter complaints wore also, made against the statement of the Chairman of the Hospitals' AssoHatinu, Mr Wallace urging the Hospital B ank not to give relief to any single men w .o we ,- o able to do any work. The Committee told tho deputation that, owing to lack of funds, it could not give further relief to single men only at the expense o?' married men. It would consider any proposal that would afford smgle men relief if it could be done without harming tho married men. THE UNEMPLOYMENT TAX. SUGGESTION OF INCREASE. CHRISTCHURCH, June 58. “We have it on the best authority, that the Government contemplates raising the unemployment tax from Is to Is 9d in the £,” said Cr. J. McCombs, M.P., Chairman cf the Christchurch City Council’s Finance Committee, outlining to the Council the different payments which a working man had now to make from his wages. A Wage of £4 8s was reduced to £3 11s Id in this way, he said, and if the motion of Or. M. E. Lyons to reduce wages by 10 per cent, was car-, ried, the reduction would go to £3 3s i Id. ’ - SMAU.-M'HJft&ASfibfRiBCORDED.

WELLINGTON, June 28

A small increase of 18, Is recorded in the number of the registered unemployed in New Zealand for the weett enclrtl June 20th, The total number of the registered workless on that, date was 54,140, as compared with 54,122 a week earlier. This is the smallest rise in the figures for a considerable time.

The week’s total includes 37,474 men who were employed under the No. 5 Relief Scheme, which left 16,666 unplaced or standing down.