THE UNEMPLOYED.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 130, 14 March 1935, Page 6

THE UNEMPLOYED.

CONCESSIONS PROMISED. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, March 13. Promises of a 50 per cent, increase in the ration system and of a rise in the scale for certain relief workers were made by the Minister of Employment (the Hon. Sir Alexander Young) this afternoon when a deputation representing Christchureh, Wellington, and the national organisation of unemployed waited on him. A crowd of 300 accompanied the deputation, but was entirely orderly. Parliament House was well picketed by police. The speakers in the deputation advocated an increase in relief allocations, criticised the Unemployment Board as hiding its true financial position, and urged an improvement in the position of single unemployed women. The Minister explained that the £1,250,000 stated to be in the reserve fund of the board was subject to certain liabilities and the real reserve was only £OIB,OOO, which would be sufficient for only 8i weeks on the present basis of expenditure. The board had considered the whole question, the Minister said, and from May 1 those workers who were on scale D would be raised to scale C, also that the ration system during the coining winter would be improved 50 per cent, on what it was last winter. Dealing with, the 10& increase asked for by the deputation, ho said that on the basis of 52,000 unemployed it would involve an additional expenditure of £1,300,000 a year. The board would seriously consider the representations made with a view to assisting where it could.

WORKS POLICY WANTED.

CHRISTCHURCH RESOLUTION. CHRISTCHURCH, March 13. A conference of representatives of relief organisations, the Churches, and local bodies, received a deputation from the Canterbury Unemployed Relief Workers' Association in the City Council Chambers this afternoon, and later passed resolutions as follow: — That this conference of representatives of local bodies, Church organisations, Metropolitan Relief Association, Citizens' Unemployment Committee, Returned Soldiers' Association, etc., is strongly of the opinion that the present policy of dealing with unemployed in New Zealand should be changed. It therefore urges on the Government, pending the change, that all No. 5 Scheme relief workers receive an additional payment of 10s a week with a corresponding increase for those on sustenance j that No. 5 Scheme bo gradually withdrawn; that the government commence! without further delay suitable public works, of a reproductive nature, such as the completion of railway Hues, highway construction, irrigation and drainage, and that payment of this class of work should be*at standard rates."