PAYING THE LEVY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 58, 2 December 1930, Page 10

PAYING THE LEVY

First Instalment DUTY OF EMPLOYERS Penalties for Default Members of the Unemployment Board will reassemble in Wellington to-day after spending the week-end in the various centres in conference with local body representatives concerning the decision to make a total of £25,000 available throughout New Zealand for relief work over the Christmas and New Year period. Reports will bo made to the board by members upon the outcome of their conversations aud ways and means of distributing the money upon a conditional subsidy basis of £2 for £1 will be discussed.

The first instalment of the annual levy of 30/- to be paid by all males over the age of 20 fell due yesterday, and there was a notable increase In payments throughout the country. A large number had paid either the whole levy or the first instalment before yesterday, and it Is estimated that about 150,000 persons have already made some payment under the Act. If the first instalment of 7/6 is not paid by the end of this month those liable wid leave themselves open to the possibility of a fine of £5 ns well as a penalty of sixpence for each month or part of a month for which the amount remains unpaid. Many firms co-operated with the Government in the issue and collection of the registration forms and in the distribution of the receipt booklets, but it is understood that it is not the general intention to c/tcnd this assistance as fat as the payment of the levy is concerned. The law will not allow employ; erft to make deductions from employees salaries unless an order to that effect is given by each individual or unless an attachment order on wages is issued by the Court. In a large firm many of the employees will desire to pay the levy direct and many others Will want the employers to do the work for them, so that it is thought Unlikely that employers will be prepared to do anything further. ... , However, the Act throws upon employers the onus of seeing that their servants are registered and that they have paid the levy. This Will moan that firms will have to keep records showing that registrations have been made and that instalments have been kept up to date. Anyone Who employs a person who has not registered or whose levy payments are in nrrear is liable to a fine not exceeding £2O. WORKING OF THE ACT Board Member Explains By Telegraph—Press Association. Dunedin, December 1. A large meeting of representatives of local bodies which met Mr. W. Bromley, a member of the Unemployment Board, this afternoon had several mat; tore relating to the Working Of the Act cleared up. The meeting was called to ascertain if work could Hot be found for men this month to enable them to tide over the Christmas season. Mr. Bromley said the Unemployment Act could, however, do something to minimise the distress Which was being caused through unemployment, and the board could do a good deal provided there was full co-operation by every worker, every employer of labour, and every citizen. Without this Co-operation the board could not be the success it was anticipated it would be and ought to in. The board desired to find work for the unemployed in the last month of the year at Christmas time, and there were at the present time some 10,000 unemployed in the Dominion. It was impossible for the board to set the machinery for sustenance in action between now and Christmas time, and the question of cooperation with productive industries and developmental work also could not be dealt with before Christmas time. To meet the position the board had decided id encourage public bodies to put in as mueh work as possible before Christmas time. In Wellington work had been found for about 350 umzployed. The board had decided to make an offer to tlie various centres of a subsidy of £25 000. and Dunedin, subject to adjustment, would be allocated £2OOO, payable on a £2 for £1 basis. That was the board’s contribution immediately toward the relief of unemployment, the subsidy being for work that had not previously been determined on in Dunedin.