RELIEF CONDITIONS

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 3, Issue 618, 24 August 1933, Page 7

RELIEF CONDITIONS

OAMARU WORKERS WANT j LOCAL COMMITTEE RE-ESTABLISHED Oamaru, Tuesday. j A deputation from the Oamaru un- ' employed waited on the Mayor, Mr. M. F. Cooney, representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, and Mr. Macpherson, M.P., asldng that the local unemployment committee, which was rccently dissolved, be re-established. Several cases of hardship were quoted. In reply the Mayor said had hp known that there were rules regarding the eligibility of members of the committee it would never have been 1 dissolved. He considerecl there should be such a committee. The present advisory committee of two appointed by the Minister had not. been asked for by the citizens, buF' had been appointed purely 011 the recommendation of the local eertifying officer. ! Mr. Macpherson said he had been approached by many citizens to endeavour to have a new committee set up. Therefore he wrote communicating this desire to the Minister, who replied that a committee was not necessary in the meantime. An Advisory Body ^ "On receipt oi , still further repre- | sentations," said Mr. Macpherson, "I | again wrote to the Minister saying ' that I thought it was his duty to give effect to the wishes of the x. oph1 that the mayor should call a public meeting and elect a new committee. ! To my surprise the reply was that ! 1 an advisory committee of two men ! had been set up. I resent, as a repre- { sentative of the electors, that the ! Miriistp.r did nO't edve some explana- '

tion as to why, how, and at whose instigation this was done." Mr. Macpherson added that it was an unusual way. for any member of Parliament to be treated by a member of the Cabinet. The Mayor and Mr. Macpherson discussed the matter this morning with the eertifying officer, the matter being referred to the Minister and the board, Mr. Macpherson saying, "Justice should be done to the distriot. It is only right that the public should have the right to see public money properly apportioned." Other Protests The deputation also complained of married men being sent to the Waikaki hydro-electric works without due consideration of each individual case. The mayor and the Minister had promised that where a married man was unable to go to the works he would not he penalised. This promise had not been carried out. Protests were also made regarding the reduced allocations for Oamaru, many men having .been cut down from five to three and a half days, this apparently not having been done elsewhere. Mr. Macpherson promised full investigation.