UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20076, 4 November 1930, Page 15

UNEMPLOYMENT.

CITIZENS' COMMITTEE. AN IMPROVEMENT EXPECTED. The weekly meeting of the Citizens' [ Unemployment Committee was held yesterday morning. Those present were Crs. E. H. Andrews, J. W. Beanland, A. 1. Fraer, Messrs J. S. Barnett, K. J. Ecroyd, G. Harper, J. F. Eames, J. W. Cramptoij, 11. T. Bailey, and P. 11. Climie (secretary). The report of the i inance Committee stated that the amount in hand on October 27th was £2d3 Os lid, ana to this must be added a donation of £3 17s Gd from Mr C. E. Otley and employees, omitted from a previous Subscriptions received during the .week were: Webley, Sons and Gofton 16s 9d; Webley, Sons, and Got'ton (employees), lGs Ud; Anonymous, £5; staff of Simpson and Williams, Ltd.. £1 15s 4d; Wilkinson and Andrew, Ltd., £1 10s; J. H. Parker, £1; employees of Radley and Frampton, Ltd., £2 19s 3d; Radley and Frampton, Ltd., £2 19s 3d; total, £l6 17s 4d. Payments were: £SO to the City Council, £2O to Cr. Fraer's relief depot, and £5 by cheque, leaving £228 10s 9d. The following were the commitments : —lmprovements to Riccarton avenue, £150; Returned Soldiers' Association, £SO; coal account, £1 10s; Macfarlane and Co., 2s; and New Zealand Railways, 13a 2d. Cr. Beanland said Mr F. Langbem (District Public Works Engineer) had approved the improvements on Riccarton avenue as relief work, and a recommendation along theso lines had been sent to Wellington. A letter was received from a man named Winstanley complaining that people he knew were receiving relief to which they were not entitled. Mr Ecroyd said that the letter should lie ignored. Mr Climie suggested that the matter should be referred to Mr Bailey. "Tf the statements in the letter are correct," said Mr Bailey, "somebody is liable to a charge of forgery." The matter was left to Mr Bailey to investigate. A Better Response. Cr. Fraer said a better response had boen received during the week to the appeal for gifts to the relief depots. She read a list of gifts. The sum of £5 had been spent on groceries and £5 7s 6d on boots. She still had in hand about £ls. Cr. Beanland remarked that less was being received in subscriptions and gifts in kind from week to week. Mr Enmes said this was probably the effect of the Unemployment Relief Act. It was agreed to meet fortnightly in j future. Cr. Beanland said the number of men on Council relief work had been increased from 15 to 21, and they would be employed for some time. In I addition the Cou' il had 60 casual employees and 114 on loan work. An improvement should be apparent, in i the next fortnight. There would be a : considerable amount of work at the i Show Grounds. Still, the position was worse than it had ever been before. Cr. Andrews: It should be getting better; we have never sat later than this in any previous year. Mr Climie said he believed the Forestry Department intended engaging | more men. j Cr. Andrews said the Rev. L. B. I Neale's depot had been closed down through lack of funds. i Mr Ecroyd moved that £lO be voted to the Salvation Army. j Cr. Fraer said St. Martin's House of Help was still functioning. | Mr Ecroyd said tho Army was entitled to the larger vote. It w*as agreed to vote £o each to these two organisations. Mr H. W Bayard, president of the Organised Unemployed and Relief Workers' Committee, who attended on the committee, said his organisation was bankrupt and its soup kitchen had been closed down. He appealed for assistance for himseff. The matter was discused m committee.