LAZINESS ALLEGED

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20756, 17 January 1933, Page 13

LAZINESS ALLEGED

JOBLESS RETURNED SOLDIERS. NEW SCHEME PROPOSED. Allegations that certain unemployed members of the Chiistchureh Returned Soldiers' Association were not piepared to give good service when a J oD was found for them were made ft t last night's meeting of the executive of that body during a discussion on unemployment. The matter came up when. Mr W. E. Leadley brought forward a scheme involving the residents of certain streets in the City and suburbs making themselves collectively responsible tor finding a full weeK s work tor one unemployed man in eacu street. Stating that figures before the meeting showed that a large number or the members of the Association were unemployed, Mr Leadley claimed that his proposal would result in relief being given to many men employed under the No. 6 Scheme. He had not yet gone very fully into the scheme, he explained, so that he could not give a " the details of it to the meeting, .in answer to a question he stated that long streets like Colombo street could be divided into sections in order that work could be found for more than one man. He moved that the Finance Committee should consider keeping the Association's Unemployment Bureau open until the end of' the financial vear. Wrong Type Attracted. The secretary (Mr E. F. Willcox) said that he was afraid a certain proportion of men had been attracted by the Bureau who would have been unemployed in normal times. Mr Leadley said that similar experiences were occurring all over the dominion. Under the No. 5 Scheme sach men were obtaining two days' work weekly, and they could not be passed over. * He agreed that a number ot men who had no desire to work had been attracted by the Bureau. "They are in a minority, but tney are here, all right," said the secretary. Mr C. Chisnall said he knew ot men who waited on the doorstep all day for work instead of seeking it. Tt was impossible to recommend some of them for a job. They had been sent do a day's work, but had failed to carry it out. Of course there were amons them many who were unable to do a day's work. "A Temporary Problem." Mr G. A. Hayden said that for some time be had held the view that the Association was devoting too much time to unemployment. He had a lot 01 regard for the unemployed men, but at the same time he considered that this was only a temporary problem, whereas there were other questions which would be with the Association permanently, and which should be given more attention.' - "I am sorry to hear Mr Hayden speak like this," said Mr Leadley. "The position is very bad, as no fewer than about one quarter of our members are out of work. After all this problem is with us today, "while other questions like that of old age pensions can be dealt with later." It was decided to refer the matter to the Finance Committee, which ! « to submit a report to the next meeting of the executive.