QUESTION OF PAY.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 199, 23 August 1926, Page 10

QUESTION OF PAY.

ON GOVERNMENT RELIEF WORKS.

UNDUE HARDSHIP IMPOSED.

The system of paying wages monthly on Government relief works, in the opinion of the Unemployment Committee, imposes undue hardship, and at to-day's meeting it was decided to forward" complaints received on to the Public Works Department witii a suggestion that if possible the men employed on relief works at Bombay and Pokeno should at least be paid once fortnightly. The matter cropped up when a letter was received from the Rev. D. B. Stewart, who said he had noticed where Mr. Pheliin had brought the question of pay before the committee and had stated than to pay men fortnightly was causing unnecessary hardships upon the wives and families who remained behind in the city. The Rev. Stewart pointed out that the position was even worse as the men were only paid monthly, and this meant that their wives and families were having a very trying time. If an improvement could be brought about and the men paid weekly or fortnightly it would be much appreciated.

Mr. Phelan said that the relief worke did not come under any award, and the conditions were therefore quite different. There were three camps, and in one GO men were sheltered in tents which had no chimneys. He hoped the committee would draw the attention of the Public Works Department to these facts.

The Mayor: I think no harm will be done by forwarding the complaints on to the Government. We will only be doing our duty by sending them on to the Public Works Department. Mr. Slaughter: It might be as well if we waited upon the district engineer. He may be able to do something. It was decided to bring the matters mentioned under the notice of the district engineer.

A letter was received from the Divisional Superintendent of the Railways Department, informing the committee that it had been decided to carry sacks of clothing from certain country stations free during this and next month. This referred to clothing collected for distribution by the various social workers in the city. It was decided to thank the Department for-the concession.

The unemployed register showed that 637 men were still on the list, and that 71 were placed in work last week, making a total of 1162 since the committee was set up.

Touching the women's unemployment bureau it was stated that considerable difficulty was experienced in finding work for middle-aged women and widows who had ties, and could not, therefore, accept permanent tmployment. They were the poor unfortunates whom it was the most difficult to assist.

The Mayor mentioned that he thought there was now no necessity for the committee to .meet regularly, and he felt that the committee had done all possible to help relieve the acute position of the unemployed. They had been in touch with the local bodies and had put in hand as much work as possible up to the present, but the City Council still had further works to get under way at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Slaughter remarked that the committee had rendered invaluable help to the Labour Department, md he wished to thank the members, possible had been done, and the committee was the only go-between workin- l tween the unemployed and the Government. He thought there was not now any necessity to have any fixed dates for meeting, and suggested that should anything arise which should claim their attention they could be got toget'->er at a few hours' notice.

The suggestion of Mr. Slaughter was agreed to, and the committee adjourned.