UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20330, 1 September 1931, Page 15

UNEMPLOYMENT.

j RICCARTON'S SHARE.

borough Council ASSAILED.

COMMITTEE DISSATISFIED

It is the opinion of the Citizens' Unemployment Committee that tho Riccar-' ton Borough Council is not doing its fair share of the task of providing work for unemployed men, and at yesterday's meeting of the committee, the Borough Council was subjected to strong criticism for itß alleged inactivity. Reporting on the reception given to a deputation from tho committee which recently waited upon the Couneil, Mr W. \V. Scarff stated that the deputation had met with no success. No promise was forthcoming to the effect that any assistance could be expected. Even the unemployed in the Itiecarton district were not being given consideration by the borough. He was disappointed at the attitude of the Kiccarton Borough Council.

"I feel strongly on this matter," said the chairman (Mr 33. H. Andrews). "The local bodies all over the district are dotheir best to meet the position, and it is unfair for the Biccarton Borough Council to avoid its responsibility in this direction by sheltering behind the statement that it has an antecedent liability to pay off. All local bodies are in such a position. The City Council has paid off £70,000 in antecedent liability, but has not let its work go." It was wrong, continued the speaker, for the Biccaiton Borough Council to neglect its own unemployed and allow other bodies to find work for them. It was economy to the point of tragedy. He had had hopes that the borough would have done a little to ease the position, especially since its attitude was being criticised by other local bodies. In fact he was being constantly stopped in the street to listen to criticism of the Borough Council.

Borough's Duty. -Mr J. W. Beanland stated that the City Council was -giving work to 107 men who lived in Eiccarton. In his opinion it was the duty of the Borough Council to employ some of the men who lived within the boundaries of Eiccarton, Becently a man who had been employed by the City Council on the water works for some considerable time had had to be put off because he was a resident of Eiccarton. This was an unfortunate position, bnt either this man had to go or another man who was a ratepayer of the City Council. "Are they not employing any men at allt" asked a member. "They have had twelve men working under the No. 5 Scheme, but not continuously," .answered the chairman. "ITor a while they had no men on at &Usaif} Mr Beasland. ~ "We all think that Eiccarton should carry more than 12 men out of 107," said the chairman. Mr G. Maginness said that it should be remembered that the solution of unemployment w-as not the problem of local bodies. Eiccarton was endeavouring to live within its means and should not be too adversely criticised for its attitude. • Mr J. P. Eames said that the No. 5 {•Scheme was never looked to to provido a complete solution of tho unemployment problem. It was only expected to relieve it. Local Bodies' Besponsibility. Mr W. E. Leadley said that if the No. 5 Scheme were to be a success the local bodies must do their share. It was wrong to state that local bodies had no responsibility in .the matter. If the Unemployment Board had to deal with tho whole Of the unemployed, it would not have a quarter of the necessary funds, including the extra levy. Mr T. L. Drummond moved that another deputation wait on the Eiccarton Borough Council and endeavour to induce that body to alter its mind. The chairman stated that he would have gone with Mr Beanland with the deputation to the Borough. Council but unfortunately that body met on the same night as the City Council, of which Mr Beanland and the speaker were members. He added that Eiccarton had representation on the committee, but had not sent a representative to the meetings for months. ' Mr Beanland said that had the City Council neglected its duty to the unemployed it could have saved from 2 per cent, to 2i|„per cent, on the rates. The Council had put £15,000 on this year's estimates to relieve unemployment, all to be spent under the No. 5 Scheme. The sum of £IOOO was spent on insurance alone. ~ It was decided to write to the Eiccarton Borough Council stating that the committee considered that it should do something to relieve the position and supplying information as to the number of unemployed men living in the borough.

PROBLEM IN BRIGHTON.

BOROUGH COUNCIL DECISION.

Afc last night's meeting of the New Brighton Borough Council, the difficulties with which the local Unemployment Committee were faced, formed the subject of a lengthy address by the Mayor (Mr J. H. Shaw). , Mr°ShaW said that advice had been received from the Unemployment Board' to the effect that the amount of tne allocation under the No. 5 Scheme per week, up to September 12th, would be £322. This, would mean that the committee would have to carry on standing men down as at present. There were between 260 and 2/0 men on the register at the present time, and the Local Unemployment Committee felt that the Council should give some indication of the number of me it could profitably employ under the No. 5 Scheme. There had been 17 new registrations last week, which in eluded a number of residents of y®? rs finding and ratepayers with claims for work, and it was very difficult for the committee to deal with the citiiation As a result of the larg« nnmtS of men who had been given wS a big strain had been placed on the finances or the Council, and Mia finances could not bear it- . Regarding the single men, Mr S _» <vmtinued the position was iMost diffiT - There were 64 single men °n S3?torfWn one day's work a we <<withsucb i«go r ? t *ur e b; *iarv °for° tho* 1 Local Committee to necessary _j cither reduce the ntimreoreaime. apdeither rea the ' 5Cr w'bf days of work given to the " U en'' said Speaker. "Thecommrtte. w,nit» Kuid«j<» l r ° ®, of the

men, Mr Shaw said that if the Board sought the 00-operation of the Farmers' Unions, a great deal could be done, and that under such a scheme the yield of individual farms would increase. The scheme would, he hoped, absorb most ot the unemployed single men in the Now Brighton district.

"We are anxious to employ as many men as possible, but the problem is getting beyond us, and will have to be reviewed," he .concluded. Councillor A. E. Lawry expressed the opinion that 200 was the most the Council could employ with the finance at its disposal, if tho allocations were further reduced the local committee could decide which of tho 200 should be employed. In reply to a question, the Mayor said that the committee did not suggest putting off CO men, but an agreement by the Council to employ a maximum of 200 men if necessary would help tho committee.

Councillor E. L. Smith said that he was prepared to move that no more than 200 men be employed. How that num ber would bo made up would have to bo left to the committee, but the Counoil could not take any more men. on. On behalf of the remainder of tho men the Council should make urgent representation to tho Government to have them placed elsewhere. Councillor S. J. Bargrove said he was pleased the matter had beSn brought up. So far as rationing the number of days was concerned, he was very much against it. If the men were going to get less work than they wore given at the present time, they might as well have no work —far better to employ a given number of men on the full time provided by the scheme. "If you are going to ration the work, the best thing a ran can do is die," said Councillor Bargrove. Councillor B. Suell: Would a motion on Councillor Smith's lines mean that 60 men would be cut out altogether? The Mayor: It practically amounts to that. If we put on more men it will mean rationing the work. There wis a great deal in what Councillor Bargrove had said, the Mayor continued. There was more satisfaction among four-day men than two-day men, and the work of the former was more Satisfatcory because the time was not so broken. Councillor W. S. Bussell said that if the Council recommended that only 200 men be employed, he would suggest the first choice be given to resident ratepayers. He was against rationing the work. Councillor Smith then moved that not more than 200 men be employed under the No. 5 Scheme by the New Brighton Borough Council, and that representation be made to the member of Parliament for the district on behalf of the single men. , , Councillor K. E. llolloway seconded the motion. . Cr J S Ainsworth said that as cn&jXman'of'works he had an intimate knowledge of the position. Tho Council s limit was 200. He would support the T. E. Thomson thought that a motion of confidence in the local committee would cover tho position. The Mayor explained that U was really the Council who employed the men, but the committee wanted to feel that it had tho Council's support. _ Tho motion was carried unanimously.

COUNTRY CAMPS.

ASSISTING YOUNG MEN.

COMMITTEE GIVES APPROVAL.

Approval of a proposal to establish camps for unemployed Single youths was given by the Citizens' Unemployment Committee at its meeting yesterday. The proposal in slightly different form had been submitted to the meeting on two previous occasions by its originator, Mr J. W. Crampton. Mr Crampton moved: "That m order fully to oeWipy and assist unemployed youths and young men, between the ages of 17 and 21 years, and older, if necessary, who are without dependents, this committee strongly urges upon the Unemployment Board the necessity of establishing a voluntary country. concentration camp, under the No. 5 Scheme (or other approved scheme), where productive work and a healthy social life may be followed, the Unemployment Committee to appoint a sub-committee to supervise and control such camp, which would bo organised and .established on lines similar to those set out in the attached scheme for a young men's concentration camp.

Immediate Work. Mr Crampton said that the camps could be established within 24 hours, and that work could be found immediately for single men. The motion was seconded by Mrs F. Eames said that he had in the past been opposed to the scheme, but since he had learned that the camps would be under the of the Unemployment Committee he had altered E. Jjoadlej- said that he was opposed to any move which would provide less work for the married men. He moved- as an amendment that all reference to the No. 5 Scheme be deleted from the proposal. This was agreed to by Mr Crampton. Mr G. Lawn stated that while tho scheme was desirable he doubted its practicability.' He did not think that the camps could be made self-support-ing. Ho claimed that the proposal was la'cking in essential data, and that in the circumstances the committee could not be expected to endorse it. -For the reasons given ho considered that Mr Crampton should send tho proposal direct to the Board. Mr T. L. Drummdnd stated that Mr Crampton's scheme was very similar to one considered by the Unemployment Committee of the Returned Soldiers' Association, and that therefore he would BU JIr I p. l W. J. Beltoii thought that it would be a mistake to refer tho matter to the Beard, ae such a step might mean holding it up indefinitely. He thought that the scheme should receive the whole-hearted approval of the committee.

Under Eight Supervision. Mr J W. Beanland said that when the proposal was first brought before the committee it savoured too much of defence camps, but since it was now proposed to put tho camps under the control of the Young Men's Christian Association h 6 was in favour of it. Mr J S. Barnett opposed the scheme on the grounds that it would be better for the men to be in their own homes. He did not think that the camps could ever be made to pay. • ~ , Eeplying, Mr Crampton said that many of the difficulties put forward by those opposing the scheme would.»disappear as soon as the proposal was got under way. . , The motion as amended was earned. The Scheme. The scheme proposes voluntary concentration camps for youths from 17 to 21 years, the equipment for the camp to be obtained on loan from the Defence