THE WORKLESS

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 7, 3 October 1929, Page 11

THE WORKLESS

ALL SHOULD REGISTER A LABOUR PLEA A statement handed to “The Dominion” last night by Messrs. P. Fraser, R. McKeen, R. Semple, and C. H. Chapman, the Labour members of Parliament for Wellington electorates, advised the unemployed that the Government’s promise to provide work, although long overdue was, if carried out, the best opportunity yet offered to them to get work. The members emphasised that everything possible should be done to assist the Prime Minister and the Government in the effort to effectively and efficiently carry out the letter and the spirit of the very definite promise given. “We believe,” the members said, “that with the resources at the disposal of the Government, the projected or any similar programme for finding work for the unemployed can be carried out. The commencement of seasonal occupations at this season of the year will make the task somewhat easier, and, probably, will automatically reduce to some extent the actual number of unemployed. We urge that every unemployed worker, and, indeed, every citizen in the Wellington district, should co-operate with the Government in the work of organising useful work for those unfortunate enough to be unemployed. Registration Recommended. “The first step towards this end is to ensure that every unemployed man should register at the Labour Department’s unemployment bureau in Dixon Street, or at the Post Offices in the smaller centres. Until the number of unemployed are accurately estimated, the full scope of the necessary arrangements cannot be ascertained. We, therefore, strongly recommend every unemployed man in the Wellington district to register at once. “If every unemployed woman also registered the extent of that particularly distressing side of the problem could also be ascertained. In the past there has been a marked reluctance on the part of tradesmen to register at the Government employment bureau, the reason being that comparatively few jobs were ever available through that channel. There should be no hesitation now, at least on the part of building trades workers, as new public buildings are included in the Prime Minister’s plan. Further, many of the unemployed who registered in the. past often gave up in despair when, after weeks and months of weary waiting, no work was forthcoming. Others felt it useless to register. All this should now be changed. For the first time the unemployed are guaranteed work. The first step is for every unemployed man to register his name at the employment bureau. This should be done immediately.” WHAT WAGES? PREMIER’S RELIEF WORKERS Dominion Special Service. Dunedin, October 2. In epeaking of the promise made by Sir Joseph Ward that in five weeks’ time the unemployed in the Dominion would be entirely absorbed, the national president of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour (Mr. A. Cook) stated to-day that although considerable discussion on the subject had taken place in the House of Representatives, not one member had askefl the Prime Minister what wages the men were to be paid, and under what conditions they were to be employed. All men going on to nublic works or road works, said Mr. Cook, were being employed on works which were covered by the N.Z. Workers’ Union award, and he was desirous of knowing whether the men would be classed solely as relief workers or whether the Government intended to treat such activities as standard works to which the Public Works agreement applied. Some time ago the Prime Minister promised that men on relief works would be paid 14s. a day. continued Mr. Cook, but from the pay dockets which had been secured it had been found that the wages ranged from Bs. to 13s. per day. Unless the piecework rate on such works was considerably increased, it would be im-p-ssible for the men on relief works to support their dependants on their earning. and for that reason the N.Z. Workers’ Union was anxious to discover what wages the men would receive, and under what conditions they would be employed. WELLINGTON NOTIFICATIONS. The Labour Department states that for the week ended September 30 there were 299 unemployed registered on the Wellington books. Those fit for heavy work were 122 with dependants and 128 without dependants, and 8 with dependants and 16 without dependants were fit only for light work. In addition, there were 25 applications from provincial towns, making the grand total 299.