CHRISTMAS RELIEF PAY

Press, Volume LXX, Issue 21354, 22 December 1934, Page 11

CHRISTMAS RELIEF PAY

TO THS EDITOB OT THI PRBSS. Sir, —I note in a contemporary of recent date the fact that Mr M. Ross, certifying officer of the Unemployment Board, states that only those on relief work and no other are entitled to the Christmas holiday pay. The Christmas bonus will be paid to those who were on relief work for 13 weeks during the year ending December 8. Now I would like to ask through these columns how it is that a few "Pink Eyes" or favourites can finish up on a City Council job where they have been working for weeks, even months, at full rates of pay (16s a day) and then immediately start with the council again on relief work without any stand-down time. The usual procedure is as follows: The council starts a job at ordinary rates of pay ("Pink Eyes" first), and when that job is finished, these workers start again !on relief work without the stand-down time. This cycle goes pn, the same men being employed on job after job, on Riccarton road, Ferry road, Colombo street, etc., while those not in the know have to look on. The favoured ones referred to above finished up on Colombo street, and immediately recommenced on relief work. As soon as the full time on relief work is completed they line up for work at ordinary rates of pay, and I wish to state that they are getting this each week. Now, the "Pink Eyes," although getting full wages on different jobs for months, and relief wages for the remainder of the time, are eligible for the Unemployment Board's two weeks' holiday pay and the bonus, while others who were on relief when these were getting full time cannot get the bonus. How is it done, and where is the pull? Seeing that other men have worked equally as well, if not better than the favourites on the various jobs, what is wrong with giving the others some of the extra work?

I anticipate some of the answers to the above charge, "skilled men," "large family," etc., to which I say, "Bunk. Try something new." Remarks on the above by the chairman of the works committee and by Mr Ross will be appreciated.—Yours, etc., NO PULL. December 21, 1934.

[When this letter was referred to Cr. J. W. Beanland, chairman of the works committee of the Christchurch City Council, he said: "It is news to me that any of the men on permanent or semi-permanent work for the council have received relief work immediately on finishing work for the council; but I am quite prepared to look into the matter at the earliest possible moment."]