UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXV, Issue 19667, 10 July 1929, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT.

WORK FOR RETURNED SOLDIERS. U.S.A. OFFERS SUBSIDY. To pave the way for a solution of the unemployed ex-soldiers' problem a conference of representatives of the various organisations interested was held in the R.S.A. club-rooms last evening. Those present were:—Messrs G.-A. Hayden (in the chair), W. E. Leadley, E. W. Cuddon, and E. F. Willcox (representing the R.S.A. ), F. W. Hobbs (Rotary Club), P. H. Harris (Chamber of Commerce), G. T. Thurston and A. Scales (Trades and Labour Council), H. Burson, jun. (Manufacturers' Association), and R. T. Bailey (Labour Department). The chairman said that at present the R.S.A. was giving assistance to returned men, but for all practical purposes the money might as well have been thrown into the ditch The Association was quite prepared, if it could get anv of these men placed, to back them to the extent of 30s or £2 per week on a subsidy basis. In Wellington the Association had approached the Government and offered up to £SOO towards the cost of a commission, which would deal with the position. Out of all the case 3 the Association had assisted in the past two years there were not more than two or three men who had got permanent jobs. The Association had convened the conference to ascertain if the various organisations would assist thep to place ten or twelve tradesmen in permanent positions, and so get them off the casual labour market. It was not the partially disabled men thev were concerned with, said Mr Lefidley, but the fit men. Of the members that were calling regularly asking for work, there was a proportion that should not be on the casual labour market at all. The sole trouble was that they had got out of jobs in their trades If these 20 or 30 men could be got back into permanent work in their trades it would help the position a great deal so far as the casual labour market was concerned. The problem was too big for the Association to handle itself, and that

was why they had called the conference. Mr Hayden said that since June Ist the Association's Benevolent Committee had met twice a week, and in that time they had assisted 58 different cases with provisions, such, as coal, food, etc. Mr H. Burson contended that the loss of the economic pension was no incentive for any returned soldier to go out and make good. He thought the least the Government could do would be to help such cases by not rutting off all the economic pension. The chairman's suggestion of setting up a sub-committee with the idea of interviewing these men individually was, in his opinion, a good one. "We don't want sympathy for the returned soldiers to como into it too much," said Mr Hayden. "We have to consider whether he is a willing man." "Still, I hone it won't be overlooked that these fellows did their jobs when they were called on in 1914, and it's up to us to do something for them," said Mr Leadley. In answer to a question from Mr Thurston, the chairman said that 9o per cent, of the men who called for help were not members. The Association was not confining its operations in this respect to members only* but was acting for all returned men who apolied. Mr Leadley said that the reoatriattor. scheme had closed down far too soon, and before hundreds of men could take advantage of it. Mr Thurston said that the Labour Council would not stand in the way of anv reasonable proposition. It was decided to forward a list of nnemoloved ex-soldiers to each of the Associations interested, ino'vdiptj the Employers' Association, with the request that thev should discuss the matter. Mr Hobbs was appointed convener of the next meeting. FIGURES FOR THE WEEK. Registrations of unemployed yesterday totalled 32, and included 20 married men. One man was placed in private employment, and seven were placed on City Council relief works. Figures for the week ended Monday afternoon show a slight decrease in the total on the books of the Labour Department. Last week's figures and those of the previous week follow: — Last Prer week. week. New applications ... 154 188 Total at end of week... 620 645 Fit for heavy work ... 540 543 lit for light "work ... 80 102 Placed ... ... 105 102 Of the 105 men placed. 22 were found iobe on public works (previous week 19), 3 on forestry (previous week 1), 77 with local bodies (previous week 53), and 3 in private employment (previous week 4). Meals for Single Hen. About twenty men took advantage yesterday of the excellent arrangements made by the Evangelical and Social Council of the Church of England to provide a plate of hot soup and some white and brown bread for single men out of work. The meal was provided in St. Luke's Schoolroom, whore two long tables were provided Bishop West-Watson attended for a while and he himself sampled the good soup served to the men. After the soup and bread, apples were handed round. The Rev. P. Revel!, Anglican City Mtesioner, supervised generally, and the Rev. J. F. Coursey was in attendance for a time. The helpers yesterday were Mesdames J. Bell, A. Gee, J. Sharp, E. H. Walker, A. Waters, and M. Berry, and Mr Winstanley. The type of man for which the meal--10001 has, been provided is the sober

man who is willing to work when the opportunity offers. A fair amount of produce and a number of other gifts have been received. A motor-car has been placed at the disposal of the committee so that goods can be collected, and another car for similar dm would be welcomed. It is intended that a clergyman shall attend at the room every da;.-. GOVERNMENT RELIEF WORKS. [TEE PKSSS Special Berne] WELLINGTON. July »- Information has been received by ! Mr J. McOombs from the Minister for I Public Works (Hon. Mr Ran soap «•

the effect that instroetiana wear* isawed on Monday for empiojuttmt to be offered aa early aa possible u» a farther one hundred unemployed Izwb Christen arch City on mSM works m Canterbury. The Minister sis* n»Hid that ta * telegram received from tli«> dietriH engineer this morning be bad baea advi&ed that arrangements had bmu made to place twenty men ow t* Summit road oa Monday.