RELIEF MEASURES.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20563, 3 June 1932, Page 16

RELIEF MEASURES.

UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD'S SCHEME. RED CROSS SOCIETY'S ACTIVITIES, No information was available yesterday as to the number of applications for ration tickets, under the Unemployment Board's relief scheme, which had reached Mr R. 'T. Bailey, officer in charge of the Labour Department in Christchurch. Mr Bailey is dealing personally with each application, and the investigations respecting the applicants are being carried out by members of Ms staff.

On Wednesday evening Mr Bailey had a conference with representatives of the relief organisations in the City and suburbs and explained to them the working of the scheme and also discussed the means adopted to prevent overlapping. Work of Bed Cross Society. A visit was paid yesterday to the Red Cross Society's rooms by the Mayor (Mr D. O. Sullivan, M.P.), who expressed warm appreciation of the work being done to help to alleviate the distress in the City occasioned by unemployment. In a statement made afterwards, Mr Sullivan said that be found Lady Wigram and her helpers in the society had already assisted about 250 families with clothing. The rooms were crowded and he felt that a remarkably fine work was being done both by the Red Cross Society in assisting the families of returned soldiers and by the Ladies' Auxiliary of the St. John Ambulance Association, in assisting other families in need, which, he learned yesterday, had in a ' short period provided over 600 garments. "Frankly," said the Mayor, "I could not help being impressed with tho terrible amount of destitution that exists in our midst, and it is quite obvious that the families of returned soldiers are as badly off as an3 r one. Anything that tho public can do to help both these organisations 'with garments or money will be very greatly appreciated. I have already granted £2."i to each from the Mayor's Relief of pistress Fund, and this-morning I promised another £5 to tho Red Cross Society. If we can make community singing a success again I propose to devote nearly the whole of the proceeds to these organisations."

BIG SCHEME PROPOSED.

METROPOLITAN COMMITTEE'S REPORT. With a view to exploring various avenues for putting tho labour made available through unemployment to good purpose, tho Technical Committee of the recently-formed Metropolitan Belief Works Committee has made investigations into city, suburban, and country improvement schemes. The General Committee, which met last night, adopted the Technical Committee's Teport, which embodied many important works, and decided to forward y its recommendations to the Unemployment Board for its consideration. - Tho chairman (Mr 11. KAtson) said that it was not for tho committee to find fault with the expenditure of funds in the relief of unemployment. Rather it was tho committee's desire to help in every possible wav by bringing but ore the authorities suggestions which had received mature consideration. Nine out of ten people who came directly into contact with the unemployment problems thought that they could vastly improve on the present administration. The problems confronting the Government daily were enormous and were not f full}' appreciated by the public.

Constructive Criticism. Constructive help and criticism were needed more than ever from all classes of the community 01 If destructive criticism, sneering, and obstruction could be eliminated, the fight for the happiness of the Dominion would be greatly assisted. There were many boards and committees' whose function was to deal with the unemployment problem and real progress was not being made as rapidly" as Bhould be the case. Too many schemes were taken up and directly difficulties arose, were dropped in favour of some other scheme, instead of an endeavour being made to overcome the initial difficulties. The ideal scheme was too elusive, and therefore, said the speaker, he considered that they should not be unduly baulked by apparent obstacles. "I should like to see this committee take the lead in helping to solve the many problems," said Mr Kitson. "We should be a driving force in settling on some scheme of work that is to those who are, in many cases, making heavy N sacrifices to pay the emergency unemployment tax. I feel sure that many people would feel the burden less if they were sure that their sacrifices were not made in vain. Xt is clearly the duty of everyone to assist in every possible manner to overcome the depressing state of affairs in. this Dominion.

"Must Look Forward." "Whether we are the victims of circumstances or whether we are to blamo does not really matter much. It does not assist if we merely look back at mistakes and grumble at them. We must look forward, make the best of existing circumstances, and show our determination to weather the storm. It would greatly assist those who are trying to do their best against almost insurmountable 1 odds if they felt that the spirit of which was such a prominent characteristic of our pioneers, was more apparent in our midst to-day." | Committee's Beport. , " The Technical Committee reported that it had considered the quickest methods of dealing with proposals brought forward for using labour and relieving unemployment. It had borne in mind the following conditions: —The urgent necessity ol" finding suitable work that could be commenced at once; work of economic value, not only to local bodies in whose territory the work was being undertaken, but in the interests of the community as a whole; work suitable to the employment of men in various trades; several building projects which had been postponed for various reasons, for instance, the State fire office and the Winter Show building; wqrk that would not involve heavy future upkeep at the expense of the ratepayer^. The local bodies had'done their best to meet the urgent need of providing ways and means to enable the relief workers to earn wages by effecting economics and financing the costs out of current revenue. It was apparent that in the very near future the local bodies would not be able to continue in this method and the avenues of employment would be still further depleted. It .was therefore obvious that before any real progress could be made, at the very least, a proportion of the cost of material should be supplied by ttje Unemployment Board. The Technical Committee strongly urged that recommendations be made to the unemployment Board to allow works to be un-

dertaken provided at least 80 per cent, was spent on labour, the Board providing cost of material or subsidising same. \ Proposals Approved. After discussion tko committco approved a scheme for extending tho Blenheim road to link up -with. Moorhouse avenue and the Main South road. A scheme for partially draining Lake JEllesmere was deferred, it being considered that it was desirable to con* i centrate on matters which could be put into effect rr.oro quickly. The construction of a direct road connexion between Christchurch and Lyttelton was deferred, as the committee was not prepared at the present tinic to express an opinion as to the construction of the tunnel road being •a suitable work for the relief of unemployment. The metalling of the portion of the Summit road between Evan's Pass and the Mount Pleasant road was approved, the work being considered a 70 per cent, labour job. The estimated cost was £3OOO, most of the metal being obtainable en route. A proposal to form a coast road between the cliffs at Scarborough and Whitewash Head was not recommended, j as the work was not regarded as being j of economic value. ; Regarding it as a work of national importance, the construction on the ' Lewis Pass arterial east-west main highway, which was estimated to absorb 500 men, was approved, and it was decided to support tho Canterbury Progress League in its efforts to have fcbc work put in hand.

Afforestation Work. The afforestation of reserves on Caslirnero Hills, from the Lighthouse to Kennedy's Bush, the Rakaia river, and elsewhere was approved. Investigations are to be made to secure an exact estimate of the cost involved. Tho committee had no recommendation to make regarding the construction of Estuary road northwards from Linwood avenue. Go-operation with tho Canterbury Chamber of Commerce and the Canterbury Progress League was decided upon with regard to irrigation, and it was agreed that investigation should be proceeded with at once. The proposal includes the development of the waterrace system which was considered to bo of "great importance for the efficient watering»of stock. Tho widening of the road from the "Kiwi" to Governor's Bay, with a possibility of improving the grading, was approved, the committer considering that the work was of definite value to the community, as the road provided a direct outlet from the City to the Bays and the Peninsula.

Drifting Sand. The control of drifting sand northwards of New Brighton was regarded us a work that could be done at cost of not more than £5 per acre, and was approved. It was stated that it would be an 80 per cent, labour job, providing employment for about 100 men for a considerable period. A roconimendation that tho General Committee should urge that the reconstruction improvements to Riccarton avenue should bo carried out as expeditiously as possible was approved, and it was decided to ask the local authorities concerned to completo arrangements to givo effect to the scheme. Regarding the deviation of the river Avon at New Brighton, the committee's recommendation that an' engineering survey should be made was adopted. It was decided that tho New Brighton Borough Council and the lleathcote County Council, should be approached to obtain their views on the proposal. Tlio opinion was expressed that tho preliminary work was a labour job, and suitablo lor tbo No. 5 Scheme. It was considered that tho planting of an avenue of trees on Bealey avenue, between Papanui road and Park terrace, would provide greater safety for traffic of all types. Alterations to the tramlines would be necessary, and the estimated cost was £2OOO, of which £7oo would be expended on labour. Tho proposal was approved.

SMALL FARM SCHEME. START IN CANTERBURY NEXT WEEK. Rapid progress is being made by Mr R. McGillivray, Fields Superintendent, Department of Agriculture, Christcliurcli, in his inspection of land likely to prove suitable for occupation by the unemployed under the small farm settlement scheme. Already Mr McGillivray has made an extensive tour of the West Coast. He has visited many parts of North; Canterbury, and returned yesterday from. Kaikoura. It is hoped to commence the scheme in the Canterbury district with the settlement of two men next week.

Speaking last night of his visit to Kaikoura, Mr McGillivray said that arrangements were made with Mr J. A. Griffiths, tie local stock inspector, to commence work as organiser of the schemo there, and the setting up of a committee was in train. The Kaikoura .Agricultural and Pastoral Association and the Kaikoura County Council were keenly interested' in the scheme, said Mr McGillivray, and there was every probability that it would be established in the district.'

It was found that the price of land in most of tho areas visited was fairly high, 'tut it appeared likely that some arrangements would bo made whereby suitable land would be made available in blocks of about 10 acres each in several parts of the Kaikoura area. A number of suitable men—some of them I ossessing previous experience of farming—were available, and all that remained was for settlers to offer suitable land for leasing, with a purchasing clause. 'The committee and local organiser, who would continue investigations in the district, would be in search of good land such as would permit of carrying a few cows, the successful growing of household vegetables, and the raising of such other crops as might be marketable locally. Men settled at Kaikoura would be housed in Public 'Works Department huts of a good type, a number of which had been left unoccupied since the cessation of work on the South Island Main Trunk railway. Mr McGillivray said that already land sufficient to settle 60 to 70 men with their families had been offered in Canterbury and Westland, and it was hoped to launch the scheme by placing two men in the Leeston district next week. FOOD. RENT, AND CLOTHING. IPEIS-J ASSOCIATION ) WELLINGTON", June 2. Asking that relief workers be given sufficient in pay to enable them to purchase essential food and clothing for themselves and their families, and meet rent outgoings, a deputation from relief jobs in the city and Petone sought an interview with the Minister for Employment to-day. Mr Coates was unable to attend, owing to an important conference concerning the Ottawa delegation, but the representations were heard b/ Mr W. Bromley, a member 'of the Employment Board, who said ho believed the Minister's intention was that no one should go hungry, and he understood that ration orders would be available this week-end in necessitous eases.

WORK FOR 450 MEN. (phess association TET.iiaa.ui. i PALMERSTON NORTH, June 2. A scheme which will give employment to 450 men for 18 months, in camp, was approved by the ManawatuOroua River Board to-day, when it was decided to undertake a mile long cut in the Mimawatu river, in the vicinity of Foxton to diminish the danger of floods in the lower levels. Unemployed labour will be used.