UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 12, 15 January 1929, Page 6

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

It is now two months since the United party attained power. It is stated that Mr. Fletcher, member for Grey Lynn, had promised that if the United party was returned to offlce that there would not be an unemployed man after six weeks. There are hundreds of willing, capable men still unemplo\ c<l in Auckland city alone. It would also be interesting to know what system if any is adopted by the officers in charge of the Government Labour Bureav with regard to sending men to work. Bome men, with less dependents than other men, get jobs; some seem able to go from one Iβ* of relief work to another, practically without a break, whilst others do not get a show at all. There are men who have four and five dependents but have never had a job. They have drawn their few savings, have pinched and scraped to avoid going to the Charitable Aid Board and have carried on without public charity. These are apparently penalised. Thus a man who has been endeavouring to be thrifty and get a home will perhaps have his place sold because he cannot pay the rates, owing to the amount of unemployment. Others, who have never tried to own a place, but have spent their money as it came along, can get relief, and, it seems, also jobs, too, if any are going. If a man battles around for himself and does not get back into town in time to register twice each day, or at least once, it seems to be taken for granted that he is indifferent about getting work, whilst a* a matter of fact he is trying to get it more than the man who just hangs round the burean and does not try for himself. The man who tries seems to be penalised all ways. If be tries to buy a home he apparently is not eligible for charitable aid because he possesses 'property, though it is more often a liability than an asset. If he spends lime travellinj around trying to find work and is out and about he has either to waste half a day u, get to the bureau and register, or if h* scout* around the suburbs before the office is opeji and continues on until the afternoon he does not register for that day. and apparently th*t counts against him. We are waiting aiixiou»!v to see first of all if there is any change madin the present inadequate and "unfair war of distributing what relief work there may" be; secondly, what the United Government is actually going to do to provide work for tWa willing to work; and last, but by no mean, least, what our City Council u> going to dn in the matter. ANOTHER UNEMPLOYED