£71,000 PAID

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 105, 28 January 1931, Page 11

£71,000 PAID

Relief for Workless

BOARD’S EXPENDITURE

In a review of the emergency relief schemes of the Unemployment Board carried out to give assistance during the holiday period, the Minister of Labour, Hon. S. G. Smith, stated yesterday that a total of £71,000 had reached the pockets of tlie unemployed. “Under what is known as scheme No. 1, whereby unemployed, especially married men, might be enabled to earn a few pounds for Christmas, the. Unemployment Board paid out £32,466 by way of subsidy of £2 for £1 on estimated cost, the number of local bodies n»rtir’innH»in the scheme being 121,” said the Minister. “Approximately 5000 men were each given a fortnight’s work, and the total expenditure (including the local bodies’ contributions) was about £50,000. It was stipulated that at least 50 per cent, of the cost should be for labour. “Under No. 2 scheme, a pound for pound subsidy on wages only, the subsidy not to exceed 7/- per day, and the employer and employee to agree as to rate of wages, £36,000 has been paid for improvements to and development of land in the country and for specified work in the towns. A special feature of this scheme was the formation, at the board’s suggestion, of about 110 local employment committees, on a strictly voluntary basis, to co-operate with the board. These committees are doing very good work. “A third scheme was the special allocation of £lO,OOO by way of grants to local bodies for Christmas relief. Authority for this grant was issued on December 22, and on the two following days work was provided by 92 local bodies in all parts of the country. Over 7000 men benefited by this scheme, each man receiving approximately two days’ work. “From the figures given it will be seen that under these three schemes alone a total sum of £71,000 which would not otherwise have been spent has reached the pockets of the unemployed.” SUSTENANCE GRANTS Immediate Payment Urged HOSPITAL BOARD’S MOTION Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, January 27. A deputation from the Wanganui Hospital Board waited upon the local unemployment committee this afternoon requesting that sustenance payments should be made available as soon as possible. Mr. Broderick said the presence of the deputation at the meeting was due tg a discussion held at last Wednesday’s meeting of the Hospital Board in connection with outdoor relief. For the jear ending March 31, 1931, the board had allocated £7OOO for reli/f, but with only nine months gone, it had over expended this estimate by £206, and at the end of March next it would have paid out over £lO,OOO for relief. The situation had grown out of the board’s control, and he thought that some assistance should be obtained. Board members were of opin- * ion that they should work hand in hand with the unemployment committee in some scheme whereby the board would be able to continue giving relief. Mr. R. Farley said that the Hospital Board had the organisation and machinery whereby sustenance could be. given. He drew attention to the possibility of overlapping occurring, and said that both the unemployment committee and Hospital Board- should co-operate. The Mayor, Mr. W. J. Rogers, said the unemployment committee had exhausted its allocations (£1282). The committee wanted to assist the Hospital Board, but it would, no doubt, be a question for the Unemployment Board to consider. It was decided to forward a motion to the chairman of the Unemployment Board and members of Parliament of the district concerned, urging the necessity for immediate payments for sustenance under the terms of the Act.