RELIEF WORKERS FOR STATE FORESTRY CAMPS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 547, 2 June 1933, Page 6

RELIEF WORKERS FOR STATE FORESTRY CAMPS

C.

HENDERSON

(To the Editor). Sir, — I would like to place a few I facts before the public in regard to the sending of married men into f camps for the purpose of tree-plant-ing. Now these are the conditions the relief worker of Rotorua is faced iwith : Married men with no children receive 25s per week and keep, others with children 30s and keep, while others get £2 and keep. I would, therefore like to know if there is any justice in this, seeing they are all to do the same class of work ? Furthermore I would like to state that most people are not conversant with the working conditions. Having made inquiries from a foreman, for years in forestry planting, with reference to the cost of boots and clothes per month, he assures me that the lowest estimate he would give J would be £1 5s per month. Taking this into consideration it aetually takes one week's pay a month for boots and clothes Now for the ■humane side of the question; is it a ;fair thing to force men who are un;derfed and underclothed to go out to one of the coldest places in the I North Island to plant trees. If the State Forestry wants men why do /they not subsidise the unemployment f unds and pay standard wages, as others who are struggling for an exis/tence have to do, if they want work done by relief workers. If this was ■done I am quite sure there^would be ■no scarcity of men. In conclusion I would like to aslc, !is it a fair thing for the Unemployment Board to conscript a man away from his wife and children and leave them at the mercy of others? The relief worker of Rotorua says ',no, and in my mind a vigorous pro- ' test from the public of Rotorua is badly needed. — I am, etc.

becretary, Rotorua Relief Workers' Assn.