RELIEF CAMPS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 559, 16 June 1933, Page 5

RELIEF CAMPS

(Press Assn.-

WORKERS DEPUTATION miNistEr sXys d6es Not WANT TO BE tiARt) QUESTION OF COMPULSION

-By Telegraph— Copyright) .

Wellington, Thursday "We db not y?ant to be hard bn hihfribd mexi arid their- fainilieS. We realise tliby- are having • a difficult time: We sa.y that if the Pftblic Works and Fbrestry Departments' caiiip's are ihaniied voiuntarily, nobody Would be * forced to gb ilito camp. Thfose cauips ought to be mahnecT, arid very likely they will be manned,"- said the Minister pf Employinent, Hon: Adairi Hamilton, iri reply to a deputatiori from the Relief Workers' Uftion, which waiteti on hihi " to protest agkinst cdmpulsion being used for ihkrfied men to enter ' camj). The deputation said there was no objgction to married riien volutarily goin'g into camp. Mr. Otham said that the wives of many of the relief workers strongly obj ected to' tlieir husbarids being sent compulsorily to camp. At present the ; fariiilies of these men were practically 1 on the bread lihe. y7hat was the Gov- | errijrient goirig to do with th'e fariiilies whq wero left behind in a miserable j position? Other speakers gave instances of ' the distressed conditions of the fanii- ! lies o.f many relief workers, which j conditions, it was asserted, would be i rnade serious by the breqd-winner of the family having to leave home and go to camp. in rfeply, the Minister said that he thought too much was being made of the conipulsory element: He realised the wbrry arid the distressing conditions which existed in the homes of ' many of the unemployed. He pointed out that there were ] niep wanted in some camps to-day, and it was difficult to get a full response. He could not see Why there shpuld be .such strong objections to going to these camps if the payment was fair and the conditions were gopd. The Forestry Department wished to jiave trees planted now, and it seemed that there was difficulty in getting men to go into. these camps. If the Public Works and the Forestry camps were manned, there would be rio compulsion needed. He thought these camps would be filled, and that would gradually relieve the present difficulties. The Government would try to get the camps manned in a voluntary manner, and after that was done, the position would be reviewed.