April 10 1924
Mr [William] Coote returned to the question of people coming from the Free State and receiving benefits. It was not good enough for the Minister [of Labour, John M Andrews] to state that so long as a person qualified for the benefit it was his duty to pay the money. They were not dealing with unemployment benefit alone but with the financial aspect.
They were being burdened owing to these people coming across the border – and it was not denied by the Minister – and taking up positions that were denied their people. He submitted that the Minister should ask the House to grant powers to restrict the giving of unemployment benefit to these people. Could not the agents at the bureau find out all about the illegal acts that were being committed – such surreptitious acts being carried on unless they had employers signing the certificates?
The Minister – I would like to know what the hon. member means by “signing certificates”.
Mr Coote said that supposing a stevedore employed a number of men for two days in the week and turned them out of employment, he had then to sign certificates. Then he took another set of men and signed for them also. Such a thing was occurring in Derry.
The Minister of Finance [Hugh Pollock] said the hon. member should endeavour to prove his statement.
Mr Coote said it was well known to the agents of the Ministry of Labour.
The Minister for Labour protested against the member’s allegations, and said that no person coming from the Free State could draw benefit until he had been resident in Northern Ireland for at least a year. He had no power to bar these people, and in fact it was the considered opinion that the House could not prevent them from receiving it.
Mr Coote said that certain statements in some of the certificates would not bear investigation.
The Minister of Labour said it was very unfair to the Department that such a charge should be made by the hon. member, who was not able to give them anything to support it.
Mr Coote – I say there are deliberate acts of collusion between your agents in the country and these people who come over the border. I say that deliberately in this House.
