Opotiki News

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 569, 28 June 1933, Page 6

Opotiki News

(From Our Own Correspondent) .

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF ALLEGATION S THAT DISTRICT IS BEING UNFAIRLY TREATED

Claiming that Opotiki was receiving unfair treatment in regard to its unemployment allocation, a deputation from the relief workers of the borough waited upon the Opotiki, Chamber of Commerce at its meeting on Monday night and asked that the chamber give its support in obtaini'ng fairer treatment from the Unemployment Board. After hearing the deputation, the chamber decided to use its endeavours to have the allocation increased and at the same time set up a committee to take evidence from the men with the object of submitting the figures obtained to the board. Messrs. Wilson and McNee acted as spokesmen for the relief: workers and were introduced by Mr. A. E. Payne. They stated that Mr. F. Langstone, M.P., who had . recently visited Opotiki, had shown them definite figures which proved that relief workers in Opotiki were receiving a lower rate of sustenance than those in many other places. Under the present arrangements, the single workers were unable to obtain any relief at all while the married men were earning only 18s to 20s a week. The local committee was unable to grant any relief to the single men without cutting down the sustenance paid to the married men. Naturally, the single men did not wish to see the married men cut down, but they could not carry on without some measure of relief. The deputation was given a very sympathetic hearing and the following were appointed a committee to interview the local unemployment committee and investigate the position: Messrs. Sinclair, Bridger, Short and Payne. It was also suggested that the committee should investigate any concrete cases of hardship and submit evidence concexming them to the board. The suggestion was adopted and it was also decided to constitute the four gentlemen elected, a standing sub-committee of the chamber to deal with the subject of unemployment.