"WON'T STARVE"

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 543, 29 May 1933, Page 5

"WON'T STARVE"

(Press Assn.-

EMPHATIC DEPUTATION TO MINISTER IN CHRISTCHURCH RELIEF WORKERS' POSITION

— By Telegraph — Copyright).

Christchurch, Saturday. A deputation representing relief • workers waited on the Minister of ^Employment (Hon. A. Hamilton) this morning and asked for more grants for sustenance in money, declaring , that poverty is widespread and many wives and children are suffering from malnutrition. They also protested against married men going into camp. Mr. Hamilton, in replying, said the Unemployment Board had a slightly better 'credit balance than this time last year, hut the number of unemj ployed was bounding up. The last 1 return showed an increase of 2000. He did not know why the unemployed wanted to be paid in money rather '..than in kind. He knew of no centre •'getting a better allocation than Christchurch, which was getting a fair share. If the registrations got too high the board might have to cut into its reserves. A voice: What are the reserves? Mr. Hamilton: One week's allocation, -about £80,000. He added that 'no city was doing better than Christchurch in the matter of additional help. He did not understand the objections to going into camps. A voice: Do you intend to con.script men into camps? ,' The Minister: We say if a man re'fuses a standard joh then it is his , own responsihility. A voice: We won't starve in a land tof plenty. ' The Minister: Threats like that won't get you anywhere. He added thqt he could not give an assurance J( that the 10 per cent. cut in work > would be restored.