UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18724, 22 June 1926, Page 11

UNEMPLOYMENT.

WORK OF COMMITTEE. MARRIED MEN FIRST. As the result of the decision of the executive of the Citizens' Unemploy. ment Committee, which met yesterday, 2o men selected from the Labour Department's list, will be started at work on the banks of the Heatbcote river, at Eadley bridge to-morrow (Wednesday). The meeting was attended by Messrs E. H. Andrews, chairman of the Citv Council's Works Committee, H. Worrall and B. B. Owen (hon. sec. and organiser). Mr E. G. Queree, Labour Department's unemployment officer, attended by invitation. Mr Andrews was oleeted chairman of the executive. Mr Owen reported that funds in hand totalled £66 4s 6d (including £4l 4s Cd, : tho collection at Sunday's band concert by 'the Woolston Band); there was also £IOO in hand from last year. Ho suggested .that twenty-five men should start work to-morrow (Wednes--day), on the banks of tho lieathcote at Eadley bridge, and work-upstream. Mr Queree submitted the Labour Department's list, and thirty men were selected, those with the largest number of dependents first being solected. Tho total number depending on. the 30 selected was 136. The highest number of dependents was 8, and the lowest 3. These men are to report at the Reserves Committee's Depot, Chester street to-morrow (Wednesday) morning, when the final selection will be made. Some Immigrants on the List. Mr Owen said • that though it was the policy of the committee in the past, to give preference-to men with large families, there we're some men with small families who were in a worse plight than'the others. At present there were seven men working on the banks of the Wairarapa stream, near the City boundary. The Colombo street bridge wag not painted last year, and it might be done this year. There was also the.work to be done at "The Bricks" site:at the Barbadoes street bridge. On going through the list of applicants, it was found that some of them were immigrants who had been out of work since arriving in New Zealand. In these cases it was decided to make inquiries whether they were nominated immigrants. One man with six dependents had only been! in the, Dominion one week at the date of registration. "Those cases should bo inquired into," remarked the chairman. Mr Queree stated that men with the largest number of dependents had already been sent to the Public Works Department's jobs. The particulars given on some of the registration cards were considered unsatisfactory, and it was decided to suggest to the Labour Department that a notice be posted up to the effect that men making false statements would not be given employment. The Single Men.. Mr Owen stated that the men selected, with the exception of two, were not on last year's list. In the case of one of ■those who was on last year's list, his record.would.be looked up before he was taken on. The committee would not employ men who, on former occasions, had been'reported on unless it was ..satisfied such mem.would give full value, for the wages they received. He commented on the dumber of single men registered with the Labour Department, and said that fche committee could- not- tako them \into. tion until ,all the'married men had been found work. The single men presented a,difficult problem. He thought that parents should take warning, and see that, their sons learned a trade, .instead of taking up'nondescript labouring work; The chairman, referring to. the work to be,done at;" The Bricks," said that as piles had to be driven"on the';opposite side of the river, the work would have .to be done under the supervision of the City Engineer, and.. could not be put in'hand for two or three days. Yesterday's Begistrations. At the Labour Department yesterday 20 new registrations were made, and 25 registrations were renewed. The Department has placed three men in private' employment. ■ The. additional. 20 men selected for the Public Works Department, for work on the Evans Pass-Godley Head road, started on the job yesterday. The Department has asked the Labour Department,to select an additional 15 men.

RELIEF WORKS. CITY COUNCIL'S ACTION. At- last night's meeting of the City Council the By-laws and Finance Committee reported:— "An offer has been accepted from the Unemployment Committee to provide a sum to be subsidised by the Council for the relief of unemployment. "The Finance Committee recommends -the Council to make' provision for a sum of .£750 on the estimates, to be .subsidised at the rate of £ for £ by the Unemployment . Committee, the total sum to be : spent on works controlled by the Council. "The Returned Soldiers' Association has applied for' permission to hold concerts in the Liberty .Theatre on Sunday, the 20th . and 27th instant, v and j on. July 4th, when it is intended to take up a collection in aid of the Association's unemployment fund. "Derry's Band was granted permission to give concerts on June 20th and 27th in the Liberty Theatre, but does not now require these dates, and the Returned Soldiers' Association's application has been granted." „ Money from Outside Sources. Cr. F. R. Cooke asked whether money coming from other sources.besides the Unemployment Committee would be subsidised in the same way. Ho referred to unemployment as a ''terrible capitalist disease." Many people were willing to grant relief, he said, and money was available from outside sources. Cr. C. P. Agar said that £l3O was available from last year's fund, • bub .this would not carry a subsidy. The Mayor said he.took it that all money spent under the guidance of the Citizens' Committee would carry a subsidy. Cr. E. H. Andrews said that the moneT- held over from last year was about £IOO, and there was about £7O from other sources. It was desired to start from 20 to 25 men on Wednesday morning. The committee had met during the morning, and had selected what were considered the most necessitous cases. There wa3.no question of the £250 necessary being received. Men would be emploved on work within the City by,the committee, and they would be under its' jurisdiction. Cr. Agar said it was proposed -to carry on in the same way as last year. Cr. Cooke: Will the Council subsidise money from out side sources? The Mavor: Certainly. Cr. Andrews: If it goes through us. The Mayor: All.moneythat goes through here will be subsidised. ; The clause was .adopted, and the Mayor And Councillor 5 . Agar and And-

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rews, were. appointed to supervise _ the j .expenditure on behalf of the 'Council; j jDr. Andrews suggested an advance up j to'-."£250'. He 'said the wprk it was' i proposed to start oil was the clearing of tlie,. .riv'erbank between .'Kadley-and Opawa bridges; ,The Mayor said they would be : perfectly safe,; as he was assured, that the . money would, come in. The recommendation was' approved. ' ■ • '.-.'. -...' •' {■' ■ • ; ' LIST AT INVERCARGILL. (NttSS iSSOCUTION TItIOEAM.) INVERCARGILL, Juno 21. The numbor of men on the .books at the; Government Labour Department here total 121. Detailed figures rare:— S3i labourers, 3 engine drivers, 4 farm lands, 3., grocers> 6 motor drivers, 2 clerks, 4 ploughmen, 2 married cotiples, I.' bricklayer, 1 tinsmith, 1 salesman,' 2'bakers, 2 foremen, 2 rabbiters, 1 cacjj carpenter's apprentice, caretaker, sbare-milker, blacksmith, cycle mechanic • ■ Ifl addition to the inen, there arc registered as unemployed!, 4 housemaids, 2 waitresses, and 1 general.