UNEMPLOYMENT LEVY.

Auckland Star, 2 January 1931, Page 9

UNEMPLOYMENT LEVY.

21,450 PAYMENTS MADE.

PENALTIES FOB 1/EFAULTER?

RESPONSIBILITIES OF EMPLOYERS,

The days of grace for the payment of the first instalment: of the unemployment levy expired on Wednesday, and defaulters are now liable to', the penalties prescribed by. the Act. Up to Wednesday night 21,450 Aucklanders had paid the tax at either the Wellesley Street Post Office or the Chief Post Office, the returns from the suburban and country offices not being available. Throughout the day a steady stream of eleventh-hour payments, totalling £560, flowed into the mam office. The cash proceeds from the pay-, ments amount to, £9008 2/6.

According to .the Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Labour, the total number ot registrations for tKe .Dominion is 490,000, and he has expressed confidence that there will not be many "dodgers" of the payment. Those who fail to pay have been warned that they will,be caught and that an example will be made oi them.

Failure to pay within the period prescribed constitutes an offence and renders the offender liable to a fine of £5 and a further penalty, without conviction, ot sixpence for every month or part of a month in which the payment remains in arrcar. In addition the unpaid instalments will be treated as debts recoverable in any Magistrate's Court. Fines inflicted will form part of the unemployment fund.

It has now become a statutory offence punishable bv a fine not exceeding £?», for an employer, without the authority of the Unemployment Board, to employ in his service or continue to employ tor more than seven days any man whose lew instalment is. more than one month in'arrear. According to the relevant section of the Act, it will be- a good defence in Court proceedings if defendant can prove that he believed on reasonable grounds that the man so employed or retained was not in arrear tpi more than a month with his instal"-"" -■ Collection of Grass Seed. As a result of a conference this week between a deputation from, the Unemployed Workers' Association and the

central executive of the Local Unemployment Committee, authority has been given for 100 men to be organised into] parties for the collection of grass seed on roadsides and properties in the Auckland area. The men are to be guaranteed 7/ a day, and the grass seed produced will be sold for them. If enough is received to give the men another 7/ a dav, that amount will be paid. If it is" insufficient, the money available will be shared, and if there is a surplus, the balance-will be paid into the committee's 'funds for the relief of others. ■ Four canvassers from among the unemployed have been appointed to interest the public in the operation of the Unemployment Board's No. 2 scheme, in connection with-which only £600 has been spent out of the £1800 made available. It has been decided by the committee to bring under the notice of the Government the inadequacy of the accommodation at the Labour Bureau and to sugoest that the Drill Hall in Rutland Street be made available to the Labour Department for the handling of the men reporting daily.