TWO NEW SCHEMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LXII, Issue 38, 14 February 1931, Page 9

TWO NEW SCHEMES.

UNEMPLOYED ON FARMS.

MINISTER'S EXPLANATION.

FIXE TYPE OF NEW ZEALANDER,

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

NEW PLYMOUTH, Friday.

Two new schemes of the Unemployment Board, schemes No. 4A and 48, were explained by the Hon. S. G. Smith, Minister of Labour, to the Farmers' Union and the North Taranaki Unemployment Relief Committee in New Plymouth to-day; The schemes aim at absorbing unemployed in productive work. . . "In addition to No. 5 scheme," said Mr; Smith, "the board has brought out scheme 4A, by which it hopes to place a large numb, of men in the country for a longer time than it can under No. 2 scheme. For the success of its scheme it desires the co-operation of the Farmers' Union." / * There were 80,000 farmers in New Zealand, said the Minister, and of that number 30,000 were subject to land tax and 4000 had to provide income tax returns. ' c; Under No. 4A scheme the board proposed to ask farmers to take men for the work of stumping, draining and fencing and the board would pay wages up fo 15/ a week for single men and 25/ a week for married men. The farmer was to give the men quarters and keep, and, if a man was worth it, pay him a small wage as well. The board believed that in a week or two it could place a very large number of men with farmers under 4A scheme. Each farmer would have to sign a declaration that since September 1, 1930, he had not discharged any employees to take advantage of the benefits of the scheme. Workers could be engaged for periods ranging from four to 26 weeks. "If we can put 2000 men on the land this winter," said Mr. Smith, "it will be much better for them to be in the country doing developmental work than staying in the towns." Under 4B scheme the board intended to subsidise farmers engaging men under the contract system up to 33 1-3 per cent with a limit to each contract of £75. The men would have to make their own arrangements for accommodation and keep. The scheme would be handled by the Commissioner of Crown Lands, whose rangers would keep touch with the work. The banks had assured the board Lat they would support farmers under this scheme, as it was really productive work. In the labo-r bureaux in Wellington and Auckland, said Mr. Smith, he had found a fini type of New Zealander with no home, no work and no job. They were in hundreds. Tsie- Minister said he was assured that the Farmers' Union would do all in its power to -rovide for developmental work on farms.