PROTEST AGAINST FIVE-DAY WEEK

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 170, 11 March 1932, Page 6

PROTEST AGAINST FIVE-DAY WEEK

WORKERS DEPUTATION MAYOR PROMISES TO MAKE REPRESENTATIONS IN WELLINGTON POSITION OF MAORIS Strong representaiions for the cancellation of the five-day system under which the unemployed in Rotorua are at present worhing, were made yesterday to the Mayor, Mr. T. Jackson, by a deputation representing the Rotorua Unemployed Workers' Association, and Maori unemployed in the district. It was pointed out hy the deputation that relief workers in Rotorua were at present compelled to work a five-day week despite the fact that sustenance payments had been reduced. Rotorua had been singled out in this respect, and it was contended by the deputation that this was not fair to the men. The Mayor, in reply, stated that the five-day week was not the policy of the Rotorua committee but of the Unemployment Board. Personally, he did not approve of the idea, but as some compensaUon, he pointed out that the board had definitely promised not to reduce the amount of the Rotorua allocation for at least two months. The committee had also been successful in obtaining concessions which had given Rotorua the highest allocation per head of registration, of any town in New Zealand. The Maori representatives on the delegation pointed out that the Native Department, which previously had absorbed a large number of the Maori unemployed on development schemes, had now exhausted its funds, and was not in a position to absorb the same number of men as it had done in the past. Many of the nat've families were in a very serious plight and were even considering keeping children from school, in order to make the food available go further. Mr. Jackson expressed sympathy for t.he position of the unemployed men, and promised that he would mrke personal representations in Wellirgton to ascertain what can be done to relieve the situation.

For Two Months The deputation explained to the Mayor that it was not so much the cut in wages to which they objected, but the extra days they had to wcrk to earn the reduced rate. When the five days scheme was stai'ted, tl.ey had thought that it would last for ov' two months, but this had nct been the case. Now the sustenance payments had come down, and they still had to work the extra hours. In some cases there had been i dron of 2s 6d, 5s and 10s a week and this was not considered feir. The borough was gettmg good wcrk done by first-elass workmen. The repi'esentaUons on behalf of the Maori unemployed workers set out that there were about 250 unemployed natives living around the shores of the lake. Among these were families of four, five, six, rud even seven children, and for the last few months they had received no work. Some time ago, they had boen engasred on the native developmnnt nreas but their services had now b^en dispensed w'th. Speaking of the amount naid to the Maori workers. tho delegates said that they received only £1 per week for full time, an amount which was quite insufficient keep them. Make Food Go Round It renvired nearly the whole of 'he week's wages to provide the children with lunches to take with them to school and parents had been considering the advisability of keeping he children at home to make the food go farther. They had been informed that the Native Department had no funds to employ them further. Speaking with regard to the relief workers' grievances, Mr. R. Carnachan expressed the opinion that it was most unfair that Rotorua workers should be compelled to continue working five days a week, as it had been stated when this scheme had been first adopted, that the extra time would be worked for two months only. In view of this fact, the men thought it was best to give the extra work rather than have a cut, but he uointed out that at the expiration of the two months, the five days' scheme was still in operation and sustenance payments had been reduced. A man now receiving £1 5s a week had to put in five days labour. He thought it would be much better if they reverted to the old rate of 12s 6cl a day, and left the remainder of the week free for the worker to look out for other employment. Mayor's Reply In reply to the deputation, the Mayor said that he was glad that the men had come to put their grievances before him. Unless the committee could get a first-hand knowledge of their troubles, it was not possible to rectify them. He wanted, however, to correct the irnpression that the local committee had got a free hr.nd regarding the money paid for the hours worked. When the change-over to the five-day week was made, a bargain had been struck with the Unemployment Board not to reduce the Rotorua allocation for two months. This agreement had been adhered to. At the expiration of two months, the allocation had not been reduced, in fact it had been slightly increased, bu£ there were additional people to provide for. Board's Policy While the local committee had a eertam amount of elasticity in its administration, it could not alter the policy of the board. Although the board had repudiated the initiation of the five-day scheme, it nevertheless fixed it definitely for Rotorua and not in other places. The only thing that the committee could do was to get small concessions. If a man now worked four days, and was employed "rivately for one day, he would he paid for five days, but the board did not consider it in the best interasts of the men themselves that they should work only part time. The board made its policy and not the committee. So far as the amount of the sustenance allocated was concerned, it was a different matter. Rotorua had £420 allocated for distribution during the present' week, but

if they were to pay out on the old basis, it woulcr take £500. The committee had therefore gone into individual cases. to find out as far as possible the actual need of each worker, and had come to the decision that it was better to make a reduetion where the need was least, instead of imposing a general cut over all the men employed. Those who did not pay rent or who had some small source of income, had been reduced. The committee had either to adopt this course or reduce everyone, which would mean that a man with five or six children and paying £1 a week rent, would be penalised as against the man with only his wife to support and no rent to pay. As to whether the sustenance payments were sufficient, that was a different question. They had only got a certain amount of money and the policy had been laid down hy the board. Cases On Merits It was quite possible that the certifying officer might make mistakes v/ith regard to individual cases, the same as anyone else. There might be circumstanees about which he knew nothing. Anyone ■ could write to the committee, and be sure of getting his case dealt with on its merits. If the committee considered that a reduetion should not be made, the necessary adjustment would be effected. As a matter of fact, it would be easier for the certifying officer if they went baelc to the old system. He put it to them, was it equitable to say that a man with six or seven children and a high rent to pay, should be reduced in the same ratio as a man with no great responsibilities? Maori Position So far as the natives were concerned, the Mayor pointed out that in the first place, Rotorua made no difference in their registration and if there was work going, they were given a job. The ehange was not a matter of the committee's action but rather of the board. The committee, as a matter of fact, had got into hot water owing to so many natives beiug employed. The board took up the attitude that as it had contributed funds to the Native Department, the Maoris should not be employed upon No. 5 scheme. The board had considered that the natives should obtr.in their work from their own Department, and not from the committee,

but the committee, on its side, had taken up the attitude that many of tbe natives were living as pakehas and paying rent. For that reason, it continued to employ them. They could only do so, however, under sufferance, and not under the same conditions as the pakeha. It was necessary to pay them below the standard of the men normally employed on No. 5 scheme. There again, if any indiip'dual found himself faced with extra hardship, he had only to write fco the committee to have the matter considered. Rotorua Singled Out The committee was also taking up the question of the natives discharged by the Native Department, but if the Department could not find the money to continue their employment, they would be foreed upon the borough which would mean a further reduetion in the sustenance payments allocated. The cbjection to the number of days worked, would also have to he gone into. Personally, he thought that the men should not be called upon to work the extra days. It was not a question of what the committee would like to do however, but of what it could do. It did seem hard that Rotorua should be singled out for this five-day policy, but when they knew all it was not so had. The allocation for Rotorua, was higher per head of registration than for any other town in New Zealand. If tne board was prepared to alter its policy, the committee was willing to go back to the old system, Mr. Jackson concluded. Mr. Carnachan suggested that the committee should only concern itself with the employment of local men but the Mayor replied that outsiders were not put on. Local men were getfcing little enough, but they got more here than elsewhere. Mr. Carnachan: Will you give us your direet assurance, that you will protest against the five-day week? The Mayor: No. But I will give you :ny assurance that I am going to Wellington next week and will do the best I can for the men. I do not like the five-day week any better than you do, but if I can get increased grants I will do so. With regard to the native grievances, the Mayor said that he would see Mr. Tai Mitchell and ascertain what could be done. Mr. Carnachan pointed out that it was cnly the natives who had land who were given employment by the Native Department, on their development worlcs. Many of the natives in Rotorua had no land; it had been soid by their parents years ago. . 'I 1 . 1 •-