REFUND CLAIMED

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 233, 3 October 1933, Page 9

REFUND CLAIMED

BELIEF WAGE AT ONKHUNGA,

A letter -from the Unemployment Board to the Oncliur.ga Borough Council caused some dissatisfaction when read at the meeting last night. Tile certifying officer notified the council "that a relief worker had been employed by the local Ex-Servicemen's Club for six months, and that his wages for this work had been paid from tlic Unemployment Board's funds through refunds as claimed by the council. He was instructed to obtain from the council a refund of the amount alleged to have been wrongly claimed in respect of this man. He wished to be advised of the position."

The deputy-Mayor, Mr. S. Yclla, said he considered that the Unemployment Board was severe on the council. Onehunga had employed 600 men._ If the council and other local bodies had refused to employ relief workers then the Unemployment .Board would have had to do so. He thought the board should be given the whole responsibility of solving the unemployment problem.

Mr. Vella regretted that the board had sent a man to investigate this affair without consulting the council or any of ita officials.

The foreman of works informed the council that the man in question had been instructed by him to make morning and afternoon tea in the Ex-Service-men's club rooms, using their utensils. The man was not acting as caretaker during working hours, as alleged by the board. He understood' there were other complaints pending. The council adopted a resolution refuting the suggestion that a relief worker had acted as a caretaker for the club during working hours, and declaring that lie was always Under the control of the foreman.