UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20623, 12 August 1932, Page 15

UNEMPLOYMENT.

PAYMENT OF LEVY.

REQUEST FOR EXEMPTION. (PBIS3 ASSOCIATION TSLEGBAH.) WELLINGTON, August 11. A request that payment of tho unemployment levy by relief workers should bo waived on the ground of hardship was made to the acting-Minister lor Employment (the Hon. A. Hamilton) yesterday by a relief workers' deputation. The deputation was received privately, but an official statement was issued subsequently on behalf of the Unemployment Board. The Minister said that he could, and c'jd, appreciate tho difficulties of unemployed men, and he ( assured them of his and the Board's sympathies in their troubles. He was quite prepared to help wherever possible, but had to confess that remission of the levy was not so easy a matter as it might appear. He pointed out that there were many thousands of employed men who, especially when, on rationed work, would receive little more, and sometimes less? than, those who were on relief work. These had not only to pay the quarterly levy but also had to pay the emergency unemployment charge of Is in the £. As a matter of enquity those persons would also have to be exempted and the Board's income would suffer a further fall. He pointed out that to grant the deputation' 3 request would in itself mean decreasing the relief workers' fund by £IOO,OOO or more. He also said that there were legal difficulties and that an amendment of the Act would be necessary to give effect to tho deputation's request.

DOMINION REGISTRATIONS. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TBLEGEAM.) WELLINGTON, August 11. An increase of 514 in the number of registered unemployed throughout New Zealand is recorded in the figures for the week ended August Bth, according to a return supplied by the dotingMinister for Employment. The total on the books of the Labour Bureaux is 58,85], compared with 55,837 n week earlier. Of the men 47,841 were on rationed work under the No. 5 Scheme and 720 were otherwise placed, leaving S5lO unplaced or standing down, compnred with 10,322 tho previous week, an actual decrease of men unplaced cf 1812. The number of unplaced men has fallen most consistently during recent weeks. The total unplaced last week declined by 7116 comnared with the week ended July 18th. and by 4662 Against the week ended June 27th.