UNEMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION.

Hokitika Guardian, 4 March 1933, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT ADMINISTRATION.

(To the Editor)

■Sir, —lu to-da.y’s issue of your paper there is a report of a- meeting of the Social Unemployment Committee and I would -like to ask ’in what capacity this committee sits? Is it representing the unemployed or the general public, and do its members have any say in the granting or do- , dining of subsidies for mining, etc? Now, if they have any power in connection with these grants it is high time a public protest aas made, as certain of the memners, on their own admission are receiving subsidies, and. of course, would be more favourably inclined to their own application than tlialt of others. On the other hand, if they simply represent the unemployed then I say that they wore never elected by the relief workers, and are holding up the formation of a genuine committee. It is quil.e evident that representatives from the Borough and County Council® are nece.-isary on any committee but I fail to see why all the members mentioned in your report came to attend.-. Methinks it must have been one of these semi-public gatherings where everyone bring® a cobber or perhaps it was a preliminary show to select a few (good stayers) for the impending visit of Mr Jessop. I notice that ’the only member who has done.much fighting for fair treatment to -all relief worker® was conspicuous by his absence, so 1 take it; ho came to the inevitable conclusion that one voice .against ten would be of no avail Looking through the names of those who- attended the meeting I do not see one who could give a proper account of the appalling condition's, under which some of the relief workers are existing in Hokitika, and unless someone genuinely representing the body of unemployed interviews Mr Jessep on his visit here he will go away with the impression than conditions are not as bad a® the big centres.

This j© contrary to fact, as the relief worker is on clover in other places compared with Hokitika. In the first place the . weekly allocation of work is a. great deal better than here, and practically anyone elsewhere on relief receives rations and gifts of clothing without being humiliated. Now where is our relief depot and Mayor’s fund in Hokitika. Some time ago I under- | stand that certain relief workers en- | deavoured to raise a little money by j entertainments but it was nipped in the bud a® they were unable to. obtain a hall We certainly have relief of a private nature here but it does not extend to the body of half starved individuals who are too proud to beg. Another thing, we have not got the sympathetic public here as in other centres. In fact, there seems to be a distinct ill-feeling on the part of those fortunate enough to be off the dole. At least it seems tills way by the number of complaint.'; we arc told reach the pouncil office every day, informing on those who are not doing the required amount of work. I would like to tell these informers that it is exceedingly .hard for a man to even stand up for four hours without working if lie has walked past the breakfast table with hi® eyes 'shut in case lie would he tempted to eat a little that he knew the kiddies wanted.

The business people must know that the amount of foodstuffs actually sold now has dropped considerably and T wfoiild (Suggest weighing 'all relief , yiorkers each week to see how much they have lost, as gradual starvalio" is a terrible, thing and must leave its toll in tuberculosis, neurasthenia and such diseases. In conclusion, I would like a reprej tentative of the unemployed to ask ! Mr Jessep when he comes to Hokitika jsucl\ questions as: Is it a fact that farmers in this district have received grants of up to fifty pounds for material and labour to improve their land ? Have some men received better treatment in, the way of relief than others? Is it possible to find out wbo has received money from any relief scheme in this l district ? Can a married man with three children earn enough on relief work to buy nourishing food? If a grant is made to farmers or companies for development work is there any check kept on the expenditure by the Board ? Does he