RELIEF WORKERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 22, 22 December 1932, Page 8

RELIEF WORKERS.

(To llio Editor.) Sir,—The Christmas season is upon us—the festive season of jollity and goodwill, when we are expected to get away from our everyday occupations and forget our worries, 1 here are many people who will he able to do so this Christinas and 1 wish them the “Compliments of the season.” While they are enjoying their happy times at the seaside or elsewhere t wish this for them—that they will have brought homo to them what the “joyful season of Christmas” means to the “relief worker” who cannot get away from the cares of every day; the worry of trying to provide for wife and family on a pittance which is being constantly cut down, and who has to live, to pay for rent and food; even during tho off week and the holiday times, 'lo get down to cases, what festivity or joy m life, what Christinas good fellowship can there be at this time to the men who are drawing the following rates of pay a.t Shannon? At the end of the week the following money will be drawn, and no moie will be received until 13th January:— Single men £1 2s 6d, married man with 1 child £1 10s, married man with 2 children £2 15s, married man with over 2 children £3 15s. These sums of monev have to provide for three "weeks, including tho Christmas season. No rations, not even meat, will be issued in Shannon, although rations are issued in the cities. The relief workers in Shannon arc worse off at this time than they have been during the past twelve months, during which their ,rates of pay have ben cut down several times owing to the allocation being reduced time and time again. How many of your readers realise the hopelessness of this Christmas to tho relief workers and their families who see around them tho evidences of plenty and yet are reduced to such dire straits that they cannot provide tho bare necessities of life, leave alone enjoy a Happy Christmas? Tho relief workers do not ask for charity, but that your readers will make an honest attempt to realise tho position and protest strongly that the unemployment funds which they provide be used to supply a sufficiency for those who so sorely need it, and to also seek to alter tho conditions so that these men who are prepared to work may be able to earn sufficient to provide tor their necessities and maintain then positions as self-respecting citizens of this fair land.—Yours, etc M. J. Hon Secretary. Shannon Relief Workers’ Association. Shannon, December 22, 1932.