Means Test – “Preliminary” Protest at Denaby – Possible March

September 1936

Mexborough and Swinton Times September 18, 1936

Means Test.
“Preliminary” Protest at Denaby
Possible March

A protest meeting against the means test was held under the auspices of the Denaby and Conisborough central Labour Party, in the welfare Institute, Denaby, on Monday evening, and attended by representatives from a number of political, social and religious organisations throughout the area. The hall was well filled. Mr George Oldfield, chairman of Conisborough Urban District Council, presided, and explained that the meeting had been called to draw attention to the “miserable” Part 2 of the Means Test Regulations. It was a preliminary meeting to a mass meeting which they were trying to organise if people would only assist in helping them to protest against the regulations.

Mr J. T. E. Collins (Conisborough Urban Council) said that Part 2 of the regulations included the “infamous” means test. From 1931 to 1935 the regulations had been carried out with the assistance of public assistance bodies, but since that time the Administration had been in the hands of the public assistance board.

The means test had hit the working people severely, particularly those who were unemployed and were living with relatives. The new regulations were to be put into operation on November 16 unless there was sufficient mass pressure on the government to cause him to withdraw the regulations.

No Waiting

It is the feeling of the working class movement, remarked Mr Cillins, “that these regulations are so harsh that they must be withdrawn, and in order to have them withdrawn we should not wait until November 16 but we have got to be speaking at meetings and agitating at once. It is up to was to see that all local authorities who have not already done so should do their share of agitation in the district to get them withdrawn.

“We are not alone in this. Already South Wales have taken up the stand, and they are proposing to march up to London in time for the opening of Parliament. They are also suggesting that other areas should take part. Scotland is also taking part.”

Mr Collins said that the means test was not yet abolished, and unless they were prepared to organise himself the means test would not be withdrawn. They could pass resolutions, but the government took very little notice of resolutions unless a could back them up via. South Wales had suggested a one-day strike, but the National Council of labour had decided that it was not wise to call the strike. Mr James Griffiths, MP, a former South Wales minister leader, had however, been stressing strongly support for South Wales March and suggested that other areas should March. Whether South Yorkshire would take part remained to be seen, but if the local representatives considered that they should march, South Yorkshire would take its part,

in Scotland, which was twice as far away from London, could take part surely South Yorkshire could join in.

Organise Unemployed.

The means test had undoubtedly caused serious hardship in the thousands of working-class homes, and the least they could do was to protest as vigorously as they could against those regulations and organise the employed as well as the unemployed.

Mr H Gomersall (Conisborough Urban Council), expressed himself strongly in favour of the abolishing of the regulations. Meetings, marches, mass demonstrations, and agitation were the only possible means of getting the government to withdraw the means test. He did not want the unemployed to be placed in the category of “the legion of the lost.” But to feel that they were just as much citizens as the employed. A resolution that “this mass meeting of Conisborough and Denaby people demand the complete withdrawal of the new unemployed regulations undermanned the abolition of the means test,” was moved by Mr Collins, seconded by Coun J. Letherland and carried unanimously.

Mr J Wright (chairman of the Denaby and Conisborough branch of the Socialist League), proposed a further resolution that “this Labour Party continues its present activities and that it shall convene a conference of all representative bodies for the purpose of arranging a mass demonstration to take place at an early date.” This was also carried unanimously.

Third Resolution

Mr J. Corbett (Mexborough Urban Council) moved a third resolution that “This mass meeting of Conisborough and Denaby townspeople urge upon the National Government to take cognisance of the fact that a properly elected democratic government is in need of all the help that can be given them under their International code and that it fit, accord the desired help in that direction it can at least play its part in ensuring the non-intervention of other countries.” This was also carried.

Pastor A. E. Gibby (Minister Epworth Hall Denaby), spoke about the means test and its effect on the children, and pointed out that the British Medical Association had said that in a family of five the absolute minimum required for food only was 39s 2d. Yet the new regulations said that the amount to be given to such a family for food and clothing and other necessities was 35s, so that there was a deficiency of 4s 2d. For the bare necessities of life. The greater the family the greater the deficiency said Pastor Gibby. A total of 840,000 children were affected by the regulations.

A vote of thanks to the speakers was moved by Counsellor R H Shepherd, and seconded by Councillor A Robinson.

A collection was taken for “our Spanish comrades.