UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 115, 25 February 1937, Page 6

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

MINISTER CRITICISES COUNCIL. (Per Press Association.) INVERCARGILL, February 24. Criticism of the administration of unemployment relief by the Invercargill City Council was made by the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) to-day after he had heard a deputation of relief workers. On figures given by the deputation the position certainly required looking into, .said the Minister, and if the position as stated was correct it appeared that the sooner the No. -5 scheme was finished the better.

“So far as the City Council is concerned, it seems that you have brought forward a case which requires investigation,” said tho Minister. “The Labour Department has done as much as possible to induce local bodies to put relief workers on to their staffs under the 40-liour week. The Department is contributing up to £2 5s a week for married men, providing they were engaged at current rates of wages on full time.” He said this left about £1 15s a week for the local body toi find. Some local bodies were doing excellent work to assist the Government, notably tho Dunedin, Christchurch, and Auckland City Councils. However, a number of local bodies in the south were refusing to do anything for tho unemployed. It appeared that the Invercargill City Council should do more.

The deputation had, stated that the council was contributing only Is 8d to 2s 8d a week a, main. If the rates offered under the'No. 5 scheme* were not worth a greater subsidy from the council it was time the scheme was stopped and the men placed on sustenance, the Minister said. The Labour Department was actually trying to clean up the No. 5 scheme. He personally was anxious to get rid of it as a number of local bodies were not assisting. He promised that he would investigate the matter before lie left Invercargill.