STAND-DOWN WEEK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 53, Issue 16, 29 October 1932, Page 6

STAND-DOWN WEEK

WOOD-CUTTING CONTRACTS. SMALLER ALLOCATION MADE. TOO MUCH AVOOD ON HAND. In accordance with the arrangement made with the Ashburton County Council all men who desired contract wood-cutting during the general standdown week reported at the Hospital Board offices at 9 o’clock this morning. Mr W. G. Gallagher (chairman of the Board) addressed the men and pointed out that as the County Council •was unable to sell the wood at present on hand, it had been necessary considerably to curtail contract woodcutting." Up to the present time the Council had paid out no less a sum than £1433 10s 6d for wood-cutting in the stand-down weeks.- and at the present time had on hand 3593 cords of wood. The best offer which could be obtained by the Council would barely pay the cost of cutting, and it meant that the wood had to be held in stock. However, the County Council was keenly alive to the local position and desired to do something to tide over the present difficulty. A reduced allocation for wood-cutting had been granted, with the definite stipulation that it would he for men who would not otherwise he able to carry on. A maximum allocation of four and a half cords per man had been decided upon. Mr AV. Bryant (chairman of the Britrd’s Relief Committee) also addressed tlie men, and pointed out that the Hospital Board had many responsibilities iu the ordinary course of relief measures, namely, assisting the aged and sick. He appealed to eyery man to do his best to .obtain woilc apart altogether from what was being, provided by the local bodies. Seventy-three applications were dealt with, the circumstances surrounding each being considered, and an allocation of work for the next three stand-down periods was made.