UNEMPLOYMENT

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21308, 30 October 1934, Page 16

UNEMPLOYMENT

MEETING OF LOCAL COMMITTEE CR. BEANLAND'S IMPRESSIONS OF ENGLAND NO. 5 SCHEME ALLOCATIONS Reference to unemployment in England was made at the meeting of the Christchurch Unemployment Committee yesterday morning by Cr. J. W. Beanland, in acknowledging the welcome extended to him by members of the committee on his return from his visit to Great Britain. Cr. Beanland said that he proposed to deal more fully with the matter at the next meeting of the committee, as he had not had time to get all the material for his remarks together. He agreed to the suggestion that he would have his remarks written out, so that copies would be available for members a few days before the meeting. The meeting was attended by Crs. E. H. Andrews (chairman), J. W. Beanland, J. S. Barnett, Messrs W. J. Walter, W. W. Scarff, A. Peverill, F. W. J. Belton, W. E. Leadley, George Maginness, J. W. Crampton, George Harper, and M. Ross (Labour Department), the Rev. F. T. Read, and Mr L. N. Hitchens (honorary secretary). An apology for absence was received from Mrs A. I. Fraer. Unemployment in England The chairman, in welcoming Cr. Beanland, said that he believed that he had been keeping his eyes open while abroad in respect of unemployment, and could tell them a good deal about it. He was sure that they were all pleased to have him back. There was plenty of work for him to take up in respect of unemployment in Christchurch. The number of unemployed had not decreased very much, although he was glad to say that there had been a drop of about 10,000 throughout the Dominion. It was hoped that there would be soon a decrease in the Christchurch figures. Cr. Beanland, who was received with applause, thanked the members for their welcome. He had covered a great deal of ground in the British Isles, and if he had not known that there was depression he would not have seen any difference from the state of things on his previous visit eight years ago. There seemed to be no unemployment except, perhaps, in the north of England, and in Manchester. The cotton industry had been hit hard and many persons in Rochdale and round Manchester were suffering very severely in consequence. In the coal-mining districts, also, theie were signs of unemployment. Tne system in operation made it possible for the unemployed to keep their families fairly decently. He had visited three schools in the county or Durham, and at one the assistant headmaster had asked the children whose fathers were out of work to stand, ana about three-quarters of the number stood. They looked well cared for. A doctor visited the schools to ascertain about the health of the children. At one school of 500 children only 13 had been ordered to have nourishing milk in the morning. When he got to Germany things were entirely different, and he saw evidences of unemployment everywhere, in the streets and in the hotels. Big hotels with accommodation for 500 persons were practically empty. In England the problem of unemployed youths rather than that of unemployed elderly persons, was engaging attention. They had had the same difficulty in Christchurch. In England they had evolved a scheme for boys and girls, but he did not know how it was going to work out. He had information about the scheme and also about unemployment in Great Britain, and he inintended to put it in a form that would be acceptable to the committee. , Mr Leadley asked if Cr. Beanland would be prepared to submit the information in writing, so that copies could be supplied to members to enable them to obtain the full value of his information. Cr. Beanland said he would endeavour to do so. No. 5 Scheme The Hon. J. A. Young, on behalf of the Minister for Employment, wrote further to his letter of October 5, stating that the question of restoring the 10 per cent, reduction in Scheme 5 allocations, in order to assist relief workers to purchase supplies of footwear for their families, had been sidered by the Unemployment Board, but he was advised that the board regretted that it was unable to agree to the proposal. Mr Scarff: Evidently, they are going to get it in another way. Mr Peverill: A Christmas box. The chairman: Roughly, £1 a man, by a special grant. Cr. Beanland said that on his arrival in Auckland he had been told by fairly prominent men that when he got to Christchurch he would find that the No. 5 scheme had been thrown overboard, and that the City Council was taking on a certain number of men at full rates. Mr Leadley said that m Auckland that had been done. The City Council there had taken on 500 men to do work previously done under the No. 5 scheme, the board subsidising their W Mr S 'Scarff said that the Unemployment Board was encouraging local bodies to do so. The chairman said that there was a feeling right throughout the Dominion to ease off. the No. 5 scheme, and an opinion to that effect was very definitely expressed at a conference in Wellington, and a resolution to that effect had been put before the Minister. The resumption of public works wouid increase the possibility of local bodies taking on men at full rates of P£ Mr Belton: Getting back to a modified No. 2 scheme. The chairman: It will result probably in sustenance being given to those not fit for heavy work. The letter was received. Reduction of Working Hours In reply to letters conveying the resolution of the committee about a proposal that hours be reduced by 10 per cent, and that wages be increased by 10 per cent., the Canterbury Manufacturers' Association wrote that the matter had been referred to a subcommittee of the association for a report. The Canterbury District Council of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour wrote that it would be glad to furnish its views on the subject, and immediately time was available to do so a reply would be forwardedOn the motion of Mr Leadley, consideration was held over tiH all the replies had been received. He said that he noted that the New South Wales Government had appointed a commission to enquire into and report on the same matters, and he moved: "That the secretary of the committee write and endeavour to obtain copies of the commission's report." The motion was agreed to. Payment of Men in Camps Cr. Barnett asked if any information had been received by the committee about the increase of 5s a week to men in camps. The chairman: No information has been received by the committee; it i lias been stated in the newspapers.

Cr. Barnett: Is there no information as to whether the increase is to be of general application or to apply only to any special camp? The chairman: As I read it, the increase was to apply to all camps—from 10s to 15s a week. Mr Leadley said that there seemed to be an inclination on the part of the bosrd not to supply the committee with information that it had been supplied with previously. Cr. Barnett moved:—"That the_ committee enquire from the board if the 5s additional a week applies to ail men (single or married) in camps." Mr Crampton seconded, and the motion was agreed to. Relief Measures Mr Hamper reported on the Central Relief Depot's activities for the last fortnight. In the week ended October 10, the new applications were 27, cases reviewed 234, cases declined 17, total 268. Sustenance cases 9, declined 7; total, 16. Rations were issued to 2138 families. Week ended October 27: New applications 12, cases reviewed 189, declined 10; total, 211. Sustenance cases: Granted 9, declined one; total, 10. Rations were issued to 2008 families. Mr Harper said that sustenance was being given to Ihe unemployable rather than to the unemployed. They had refused to give any cash whatever since they received the money from the Mayor; they had received applications for fairly large sums, but had declined them. The report was received. Mr Ross submitted the following information about the No. 12 (building subsidy) scheme in Christchurch, since it started, to October 27: —Applications 232, cost £153,056, applications approved 180, cost £126,949 ss, subsidy £10,345 10s lOd. LOANS BY BUILDING SOCIETIES ERECTION OF DWELLINGS ARRANGEMENT WITH BOARD ANNOUNCED [From Our Parliamentary Reporter..) WELLINGTON, October 29. A plan for ensuring greater elasticity in the lending of funds by building societies to finance the erection of dwellings was announced tonight by Mr W. Bromley, deputychairman of the Unemployment Board. Mr Bromley said discussions on tne subject had been taking Place fo some time between the board and the executive of the New Zealand Building Societies' Association, the oDject being to assist in solving the housing problem and at the same time to provide employment for skilled men at their normal work. Finality in tne negotiations had now been reached. The arrangement made would maKe « practicable for building societies to amend their previous policy of ac*vancing only up to 65 per cent, of the cost of new dwellings by extending their financial advances to t^ P ?o ta l clients to 80 per cent, of the value of such buildings. —*** Although this plan had been made possible only by the Unemployment Board agreeing to share the building societies the potential iia bility on account of any losses which might occur due to the building loans made available, such assistance from the Unemployment Fund would not prevent a home-seeker from obtaining the advantage of some assistance unaer the subsidy scheme known as scheme No. 12, although the maximum subsidy under that scheme in such cases would be reduced from 8 per cent, to 6 per cent. Home-owning would thus be brought within the reach of a larger number of citizens.