ANGRY UNEMPLOYED

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 78, 4 May 1929, Page 2

ANGRY UNEMPLOYED

Per Press Association.

WELLINGTON CONDITIONS CRITICAL. PROBLEM GROWING MORE ACUTE.

\YEL.1jI^^TUiN, East mght. The leaders of the Labour movement, as well as the Government, are being blamed by Wellington's unemployed, accoruing to a statement made during an interview which a deputation liad with the Prime Minister (the Kt. Hon. Sir Josepli Ward) to-day. ''Tramping the streets is harder than working — much harder; and tlie unemployed are getting angry ahout ifc, cven to the extent of blaining us," declared Mr Wr. Bromley, secretary of ihe Trades Hall Unemployed Committee. "They are accusing us even of being co-partners in some mysterious farce that is keeping them in their present position. We know it is rubbish, but we can excuse them, because they are desperate. They are using language they don't understand : language that might gefc them into trouble, because they are desperate." One of the unemployed present mentioned that some of the men were accusing the Prime Minister of bad faith. "I am only telling you what they are saying," he aclded. '"The problem here is acute, and the men want to know what you are going to do. They say that many workers voted ior your candidates because you could tell Coates what to do. They say now that what you told Coates to do you want to do yourself. I'm only telling 30U what they say." The Prime Minister: We are doing a great deal more than Mr Coates ever did. (Hear, hear.) Tlie men employed on public works since the present Government came into office were several thousands more than the numbev employed by any Government in New Zealand at the present time of the vear. Only last week lie had authorised the absorption of several hnndred men in Christchurch. Whenever representations had been made the Government had moved with a view to absorbing the men. It was quite unnecessary to ••all Parliament together. It could not do any more than the Government was doing." Nearly 3000 more men were row employed on public works. Wher that was going to end it was utterly impossible for him to say, although the Government was anxious to help.