UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20448, 19 January 1932, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT.

MEETING OF LOCAL COMMITTEE. PLOTS OF LAND FOR VEGETABLE GROWING. In the absence of Cr. E. H. Andrews, chairman of the Christchurch Unemployment Committee, and also of Cr. J. W. Beanland, the Deputy Mayor (Cr. J. K. Archer) presided at yesterday's meeting of the Christchurch Unemployment Committee. Cultivation of Vegetables. Mr M. J. Barnett, Superintendent of Parks and Gardens, forwarded the following report regarding the City's small reserves suitable for cultivation for vegetable growing:—

The total under all headings was U tU (Mr J. P. Eamcs) said that one application for a plot had been received at the City Council Otfi°Mr B. T. Bailey said that so far three men had expressed their willingness to ta T he UP Canfe°rbury General Labourers' Union wrote asking the following questions:—(l) Is it proposed that the work of cultivating and planting these plots should come under the No. 5 Scheme, and the men paid for time occupied in this work in accordance with that scheme? (2) Or is this an additional proposition to the No. 5 Scheme, and, if taken advantage of, will it "terfere with the right of tho unemployed to ordinary relief work? (3) If an unemployed worker refuses to take over and cultivate one of these plots, will it do'bar him from ordinary relief work? W Has the committee considered what class of vegetables that would givei a reasonable return could be successfully planted at this time of the year? It was decided to reply "No" to questions 'No's. 1, 2, and 3. Eespccting No. 3, it was remarked "by the chairman that while an applicant for relief work would not be debarred from getting it, the man who was cultivating a plot would get first call on relief work. Mr Bailey said that if an applicant were not cultivating the land attached to the house in which he resided, it would be to his prejudice in connexion with relief work. As to question No. 4, it was decided to reply that seasonal vegetables would be grown, and that advice would be available from the Superintendent of Parks and Gardens and others. It was decided to add Mr M. J. Barnett to the committee and that all applications for plots to cultivate be dealt with by Messrs Bailey and Barnett.

Drainage Work at Lees Valley. Mr Jas. B. Wilkinson, clerk of the Ashley County Council, wrote that after visiting Lees Valley the Council decided to recommend to the ment Committee the repairing of the drainage system as work suitable for a camp of the unemployed. The opinion was expressed that probably the cost of transport would be prohibitive if individual settlers tried to do the work, each separately, under the No. 5 Scheme. Cr. Annie I. Fraer explained that when cut up for a soldiers' settlement the Government had provided a main drain on the Lees Valley settlement, the idea being that each settler would connect up therewith. Some of the settlers had not done so. The property was carrying more sheep to-day because, owing to drainage, the ground had been dry for the first time. The hon. secretary (Mr J. F. Eames) moved: —-"That the Ashley and Oxford County Councils be recommended to apply to the Unemployment Board in connexion with the work, and that the committee support them."

Mr "W. W. Scarff seconded the motion which was agreed to.

' Subsidy on Prospecting. { Mr W. E. Payne, Woolston, wrote I that he desired to undertake prospecting | work under the No. 5 Scheme and apj plied for the committee's approval. He

was a married man with four dependents, and he had been informed by the Mayor of Christchurch that no more subsidy was forthcoming from Greymouth and that anyone taking up prospecting work would have to be subsidised from the allocation granted to the district where the applicant was registered. Mr R. T. Bailey said that there were plenty of eligible men on the West Coast without any being sent from Canterbury. Mr Scarff said that ho had seen a statement by the Minister recently to the effect that there was no money available from which to pay subsidy. The chairman: I take it that the committee is not favourable' to spend-

ing any of the allocation on prospecting. This was agreed to. Other Matters. The Unemployment Commissioner (Mr M. Frasor) . ™»° l »*^ B from the committee in regard to M««l----ing preference to unemployed who arf endeavouring to help themselves by cultivating their sections and reporting on thf proposal to establish a camp for the purpose of improving the Lees Valley road. The letter was received. COUNTRY WORK. SINGLE MEN NOT EAGER. (PRESS ISSOCIiTIOJI TELEGEAU.) DTJNEDIN, January 18. Apparently there are still many single men who are not anxious for countrv work. It was recently decided that single men applying for relief work should be offered work at the Deep Stream or Lindis camps only. During the last month 89 single men were specifically offered work at either of these camps,- but refused to accept it At present there are vacancies at Deep Stream for twenty single men, and at Lindis Pass for fourteen men, bub there are insufficient applicants for the positions, notwithstanding that notices have been exhibited advising all eligible single men that vacancies exist.

Prepared and Planted — A . R. P. Petrie Street Reserve— with potatoes T: n1 . a l Sfi*rir»f "R,*>«iP"rVP No. 2 0 29 JjlOTiei OtttUL llbOi/i v ~iv. 1 —with cabbage 0 1 11 Total 2 2 0 Fenced, well cultivated, and ready for immediate use — Lionel Street Reserve No. 2 0 0 29 Woodham Road Reserve 0 0 28 Riverslaw Terrace Reserve No. 1 0 1 19 Riverslaw Terrace Reserve No. 2 . . 0 1 6 St. Helicr Street Reserve 0 0 2S Dacre Street Reserve . . 0 2 0 Ryan Street Reserve 0 1 30 Total 2 0 20 Dug over, but require fur- ° ther cultivation and fencing — Stenness Avenue Reserve No. 1 0 - 4 Stenness Avenue Reserve No. 2 0 0 25 Westholme Street Reserve 0 1 18 Therese Street Reserve 0 1 0 Total 1 1 7 These reserves will be ready for cultivation by the end of the mon til. Reserves that will be prepared during the next three weeks — Bamford Street Reserve 0 1 0 Charlesworth Street Re- ] 3 16 serve Fairview Street Reserve 0 1 26 Harrington Street Reserve 0 0 36 Smith Street Reserve No. 1 0 1 12.5 Smith Street Reserve No. 0 o 28 ~~r> o "S.^ Total " Reserves that will, require plenty of work, and will not be ready for some considerable time — Searelle's Road Reserve 0 1 4 Riverslaw Terrace Reserve No. 3 0 3 Beverley Street Reserve 0 0 24 Hargood Street Reserve 0 1 0 4 20 28 Victoria Terrace Reserve 0 Harewood Road Reserve 0 * Total 1 3 1