UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20828, 11 April 1933, Page 11

UNEMPLOYMENT.

MEETING OF LOCAL COMMITTEE. FIREWOOD SUPPLIES FOR THE WINTER. | Several matters of detail, including the provision for relief and for supplies of firewood for the winter, were dealt with at the meeting of the Christchurch Unemployment Committee yesterday. The chairman reported that no reply had been received from the Minister for Public Works about the abandoned tools. Mr Scarff said that in that case Mr Harper and himself would take up the question with the Minister when they were in Wellington this week. The meeting was attended by Crs. E. H. Andrews (chairman), Annie I. Fraer, John W. Beanland, J. S, Barnett, Messrs W. J. Walter, W. E. Leadley, George Harper, F. W. J. Belton, S. W. Richardson, J. W. Crampton, W. W. Scarff, R. T. Bailey, Rev. F. T. Read, and Mr L. N. Hitchens (honorary secretary). Councillor Beanland apologised for his absence from the two previous meetings, the reason having been urgent private business. Allocations in Cities and Provincial Towns. The Mayor of Timaru (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite), in his capacity of chairman of the Timaru Unemployment Committee), wrote stating that at a recent meeting of the committee the questions of allocations and the position of provincial towns in comparison with cities were discussed. The committee had asked the Unemployment Board to place the provincial towns on the same basis as cities. Some members of the committee, however, stated that the present maximum of relief granted in the provincial towns was very near that granted in the cities and that not much real benefit would accrue, xne Timaru committee therefore wished to know the amount of relief granted to the men in Christchurch in their various classes. They also wished to know whether there were violent fluctuations in the amount of the Christchurch allocations. It was decided to reply that the committee preferred that the Timaru com-1 mittee should write direct to the Unployment Board for the information. ! Marram Grass and Tree Planting. Mr Crampton reported on the pos- ' sibilties for employing from 500 to 1000 men on a sand reserve in Waimairi County in planting marram grass and trees. He stated that Mr Richardson and himself had visited the locality, and there was about one square mile to be dealt with. It was suitable for a camp. One man already was camping there. He would like the committee to support the idea of reen being employed on the area, and to carry out the idea of forming a camp. Mr Richardson concurred with Mr Crampton and said that the area would be an excellent place for a camp of single men. Mx- Walter said that the reserve belonged to the Waimairi County. The first work to be done would be to erect a sand break, then plant marram grass, and then trees. It was decided to recommend the local bodies concerned to endeavour to put the work in hand. Firewood from Chaueys. Councillor Beanland reported that all was ready for unemployed men to undertake cutting firewood on a railway reserve at Chaneys. Mr Walter said that the difficulty would be to arrange for the transport to the city of the wood when cut. Councillor Beanland said another difficulty would be to have it cut into 2ft blocks. He could arrange for some of the City Council's vehicles to go out occasionally and bring it in. Mr Bailey suggested that other local bodies should assist. Why should the City Council do it all? Mr Scarff said that when the wood was ready transport would be provided. Councillor Beanland: Can you make arrangements to have it cut into small lengths? Mr Harper said that they had it delivered in 4ft lengths before and had dealt with it, They wanted it all earmarked for the Central Relief Depot. The report was received. Wood-Cutting at Glenroy. Mr Leadley said that the Returned Soldiers' Association was endeavouring to organise a wood-cutting party of experienced axemen, consisting of married returned soldiers at present employed under the No. 5 scheme. If the arrangements were completed with the Selwyn Plantations Board nine men would be employed and would be taken off the No. 5 scheme for the winter. He asked if the Unemployment Board could provide transport for the men to Glenroy, or tents for their accommodation. The chairman said that he expected that Mr P. R. Climie would be attending later and the matter could then be gone into. As the result of discussion in committee, Mr Leadley was advised to make application direct to the Unemployment Board. Relief Measures. Mr Harper, reporting on behalf of the Central Depot said that they were down as to cash, and the committee of the Citizens' Relief Association intended asking the Mayor to give it the half share of the proceeds of the recent street appeal, so that it could get into the market at once and get in meat and other commodities as cheaply as possible. A lump sum was required for that purpose. Mr Richardson drew attention to the fact that sheep had been sold recently at 6d a head and said that though it might not be first-class mutton, it would make very good soup. Mr Harper said that a gentleman belonging to the Heathcote County Council had undertaken to go to the yards and buy good sheep for the association. ' Mr Belton said that the vital point was that the association must have the half of the proceeds from the appeal in a lump sum. On the chairman's suggestion it was decided to bring up the matter in committee.

WORKS UNDER CONTROL | OF CITY COUNCIL. According to a return placed before the Christchurch City Council last night, the number of unemployed men at present employed by the works department is 613, allocated as follows: — On general work .. 285 On the Estuary road .. 76 On the causeway road .. 252 A further 336 men are in (he employ of the Reserves Committee. | THE PHYSICALLY UNFIT. RESPONSIBILITY FOR ASSISTANCE. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TBLEGB4M.) WELLINGTON, April 10. The Hospital Boards' Association and the Unemployment Board have come to an understanding regarding their respective responsibility toward the granting of assistance to unemployed men who are more or less physically unfit. The agreement was

reached at a conference presided over by the Minister for Employment, and attended by the Minister for Health. It was agreed that the following classification of unemployed men and the definition of responsibility for assistance should be adopted. (1) Hospital Board doctors examining at the instance of the Unemployment Board's local officer any unemployed man who claims to be unfit for ordinary relief work should endeavour to classify each examinee definitely under one of the following classes —Class A, men fit for any work In any place; Class B, men fit for light work only; Class C, men unfit for work of any kind; it to be borne in mind in examining men for classification purposes that the great bulk of work available is manual labour. (2) Men in Classes A and B will be recognised as the responsibility of the Unemployment Board; men in Class C will be recognised as the responsibility of the Hospital Board. (S) Where the medical classification is doubtful, and for this or any other reason the respdnsibiltty is disputed, a prompt endeavour should be made to settle the question, the Hostiitai Board being recommended to afford any necessary relief in the meantime. It is recommended that in the larger cities a standing committee be set up to go promptly into cases in dispute and decide the classification.