FARMERS AND “THE DOLE."

Putaruru Press, Volume VIII, Issue 364, 13 November 1930, Page 5

FARMERS AND “THE DOLE."

* RESOLUTION OF PROTEST. Discussion at Moninsville. ~W> “ The Unemployment Act has been j passed and the only thing is to pay up and keep smiling,” said Mr. G. H. Pirrit when initiating a discussion on the tax of 30 shillings, at the November meeting of the Morrinsville branch of the Farmers’ Union. In answer to a question as to what qualifications a man had to possess in order to draw the “ dole,” Captain Colbeck explained that if a man was unemployed the Unemployment

Board had to find him work when he registered or else give him sustenance. Anybody out of work could go and demand a job. Naturally the board would make inquiries to find out if a man had money in the bank before giving sustenance, but even then it would have to find him a job. Mr. E. H. Hutchings : If you have an overdraft will the board pay it off ? ( Laughter.) Continuing, Captain Colbeck stated -jfathat the scheme introduced by the ” Act was agitated for by the Labour &*rty, and apparently the Government thought the easiest way out was to form a fund for the relief of necessitous cases instead of tackling the root of the matter as suggested by the Farmers’ Union and reducing costs. The Government had made no attempt to reduce the cost of administration or the cost of production, but instead it had increased customs taxation and imposed fresh burdens on the people. The Farmers’ Uniori refused to believe that unemployment was chronic, but considered it was merely a temporary phase resulting from the mismanagement of the country. The board should not have been set up, but the money for relief should have been Brovided out of ordinary revenue by faxes on luxuries. I am personally in favour of the flat rate tax,” added Captain Colbeck, speaking as an individual and not as a representative of the union. “ I know that according to sound economics it is unwise, but it is the only way of bringing home to the working man the fact that money for relief work has to be found by taxation. There is a sort of feeling that because the Government finds money does not cost anything. Now may think more about it. I I have heard it said even at Farm- | ers’ Union meetings : * Oh, the Government will find the money.’ Now the working man will have to pay, ! so he will think about it.” j Captain Colbeck said it had been proposed to hold a meeting at Matamata and get those present to refuse to pay the 30 shillings tax. However, he had declined to have f anything to do with this proposal. The Unemployment Act was now the law of the land, and those opposed to it must adopt constitutional methods and agitate for the repeal of the Act. To defy the Government would not be feasible. The authorities would select a few of the ringleaders and fine them £2O, and, when they refused to pay, would seize some of their cows or furniture. “ They are not going to send us to prison if we do not pay—they are not going to make martyrs of us,” added Captain Colbeck. “ Someone asked me whether I would go to prison. I said, ‘ Yes, I will go to prison just for the experience, but I object to buying back my cows after ! they have been seized.’ I think we should pass a resolution disapprov- I ijing of the Act and agitating for its "repeal.” j

For the reasons he had given, Captain Colbeck and the president of the Morrinsville branch, Mr. G. H. Pirrit, had refused to attend the Matamata meeting. “ I think they modified their views after that,” he added. A resolution disapproving of the Act was passed unanimously.