THE UNEMPLOYED
PUBLIC MEETING AT GREYMOUTH LAST EVENING GREYMOUTH, January 26. Although the attendance at > the Town Hall last evening, when a public meeting was h e ld to proteat against tha treatemnt given thg unemployed, could have been a more representative one, it was nevertfiwess a large gathering, composed mainly of unemployed and employed workers. IMie Mayors of Greymouth (convenor), Runanga and Brunnerton, the chairman of the Cobden Town Board, representatives of the County, and Borough Councils. Hospital Board, clergy and[ other, or-, ganisations were present, Although a. resolution had been framed, and had received til© approval of the local unemployed workers Organisation, it failed to receive the support of the meeting, and in its place an amendment moved ,by Mr. F.‘ L. Turley and seconded by Mr J. Davies was carried, despite severe opposition from a section of thos e present. The' Mayor of Greymouth, Mr J. W. Greenslade, presided." ' C . •After 'Bp ee ches by the chairman, Messrs J. Muloare ' (Grey County Council), A. H. MoKane.. (Cpbden Town Board)! and A, Smith (Secretary of tho unemployed) the-Mayor moved* ‘‘That this meeting strongly protests against the inadequate amount of, relief money allocated to this district, and w@ urge the Unemployment Board to make an immediate increase in same; and that the Minister be asked to place Greymouth district in the same category as the main centres , for relief purposes in view of the fact that the "cost of living i s far greater in, Greymouth than in the cities ; and that* the Minister be asked to review -the whole of the schemes now operating with a view to removing the hardship of a standdown or short week once in every month, thig not to be done at the expense of the other three weeks.”. *
The Chairman then moved that the protests, as stated in the resolution, be .forwarded to the Unemployment Board, the Minister of Employment, Mr J. O’Brien,-M.P. for IjYestland, and Mr H. E. Holland, M.P.,, Leader of the Opposition. If no notice were taken of the resolution, he paid, a further meeting could be. called. In all parts of the world there had been the same trouble, under any vjovemme«t, and if he thought that an alteration would make things , better, then he would' change his politics. Mr J. Davies (President of the "Brunner Unemployed) said that they were having “a pretty * hard spin” there, and the allocations were’ as bad. The unemployed in Brunner demanded that if there were no work, sustenance should bo paid. He moved' a resolution that all relief work be abolished,
... The Chairman’*; resolution wag then seeimded }>y .Mr Smith. ‘ > 1 r .1 i Mr MolCane asked if there we any alternative. The question he had. raised was the responsibility of employing men when tho were cut down; Local -bodies ’ were getting c**rtain; benefits, but the" district -Was mot getting .anything like what it wag paying in.
Mr F. L. Turley (secretary of the Westland Timber Workers’ Union) considered that the resolution did not go far enough at all. They had passed resolutions „ previously, but had got nowhere, and... they would get as far this time. He would b e prepared to second Mr Davies’ resolution. Mr Smith said the resolution proposed was passed by the unemployed,, and it was their sentiments. '
Mr Turley then moved an amendment as follows: “That 'this representative meeting of Greymoutk and district make a definite; request to the Government to at once cancel all relief work, and, in lieu thereof, pay sustenance, as provided by the Unemployment Act.” ,
The Chairman said the resolution had been framed, by . the unemployed workers themselves. It was all very well for Mr Turley to advise them to kick over the traces. It was a windy oration. There was a real difference of opinion in Cobden, as to Mr Turley, and he (Mr Greenslade) did not thjnk he had the confidence of the workers there
When the Chairman announced that it was his intention to put the amendment to.the meeting fi member of the unemployed, Mr E. Smith, spoke from the body of the hall, stating that the amendment had the hacking of the various branches of the unemployed on the West Coast. It was their real sentiments.
The amendment was then put and was carried by a big majority, amidst loud applause. The Chairman thanked all who had attended the meeting. He hoped that the representations made would effect an improvement in the position of the unemployed in the district. A vdte of thanks to the chair concluded the meeting.
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Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1933, Page 5
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761THE UNEMPLOYED Hokitika Guardian, 26 January 1933, Page 5
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