SERIOUS POSITION

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 251, 14 June 1932, Page 4

SERIOUS POSITION

FORESTRY WORKERS REQUEST FOR PROYISION OF. BLANKETS AND CLOTHING FOR SINGLE MEN DEPUTATION TO MR. CLINKARD The serious position of a number of Rotorua single relief workers who have heen given employment in the f orestry camps adjaceht to Rotorua, and the imperative necessity for providing them with Varm and adequate clothing to faee the winter in, the plantations was placed before the member for the district, Mr. O. H. Clinkard, by a deputation froin the Rotorua Relief Workers' Association last evening. Mr. Clinkard after hearing the representations of the deputation proniised to give the matter his immediate attention, and subsequently des"p'atched the following telegram to the Minister for Employment, Rt. Hon. J; G. Coates: — "Thirty single men are required to go into the f orestry camps on Wednesday and ultimately 130. This work is extremely -hard on clothihg and hoots while the cold in these areas is intense. The men have used up all their rough clothing and have only the clothes they stand up in. It is imperative that warin and ' strohg clothing and hoots should be provided otherwise serious injury may result to some of those who do go, while others will he unable to do so." Owing to the unavoidahle'short iiotice, please treat this matter as urgent." In order to state the deputation's case, the spolcesman, Mr. H. DanieN, handed Mr. Clinkard a letter which it was suggested should he sent to the Unemployment Board, and which adequately explained the urgency of the position. The letter was as follows:-— Rigorous Conditions At a meeting of the Rotorua Relief Workers' Association held oh the 12th instant, I was instructed to make representations to your board on behalf of the single men of Rotorua. "At the present time there are 111 single men registered as unemployed 'in : the district and all of these men have been notified of their transfer to the State Forestry Department at a wage of 10/- per week and found. Many of the men affected are without adequate clothing and footwear, and these items are of paramount importance in the rigorous climatic conditions which obtain in the district where the forestry camps are situated. My association would respectfully suggest that, as the sum earned is so small in comparison to the services rendered, the Board could possibly make some ai"rangements for a supply of suitable wearing apparel for these men. "My association further wishes to make representations on behalf of those single men who are physically unfit for the conditions imposed hy both the work and the climatic conditions. According to a recent ruling of the hoard, such men automa-

tieally lose the benefits of the unemployment funds and become a charge on the hospital boards. In view of th© fact that these men have, under the No. 5 Scheme, been of some use in the past, it seems palpably unjust to f orce them into the position of paupers because, through no fault of their own they are physically unfit to stand conditions which, even for the-able-bodied man, are extremely hard. My association hopes that the board will see its way clear to give these men some light work to save both their health and self respect." Replying to the deputation Mr. Clinkard stated that he was quite prepared to give the suggestion his backing and realised the diffieulties of the men, many of whom probably had only one suit of clothes and light hoots. He would suggest to the Minister that a special grant be made for the provision of footwear and blankets for the men, and was also of the opinion that leggings were a necessary adjunct to the outfit of men employed in such work. He would, he stated, also endeavour to secure provision of suitable work for those men who were unfit for the more strenuous forestry work, and speaking in reference to returned soldiers, he contended that it should not he necessary for the soldier to prove that his failure was brought about by war services.