AID BY STATE

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 201, 22 May 1931, Page 8

AID BY STATE

Unemployment Relie: Measures

GOVERNMENT’S EFFORTS

Dominion Special Service.

Auckland, May 21.

An outline of the efforts by the Government to cope with the unemployment problem was given by the Prime Minister, Rt. Hon. G. W. Forbes, in his speech at Otahuhu Inst evening. He appealed to those who had been able to save during prosperous times to assist the Government through the pres--1 ent crisis. “The Government is entitled to take credit for having had the vision last year to bring down an Unemployment Bill, and if that measure had not been passed into law I hesitate to think what the position to-day would ’ ave been,” Mr. Forbes said. “It is frankly admitted that even the most optimistic did not hold the opinion that that particular Act would cure unemployment, but it has certainly resulted in considerably reducing the hardships and privations that would undoubtedly have been experienced had the legislation not been adopted. At the time the Bill was brought down, the unemployed registrations numbered some 5000 or 6000, while to-day the figures approximate 38,000. Of the latter it is pleasing to say that approximately 30.000 are obtaining some relief each week under the various schemes initiated by the Unemployment Board established under the Act. With the limited resources at its disposal the board has achieved good results.” Board’s Expenditure. The Prime Minister cited the following expenditure by the_board sinee it first met on November 25 :— Scheme No. 1. £32,576 No. 2, £34,953; No. 3, £8789; No. 4a, £54,001; No. 4b, £3780; No. 5, £521,302; grant for gold prospecting, £2000; special grants to local bodies in the earthquake area, £11,000; loans and other special grants, etc., £47,583; total, £715,984. “The income from the unemployment levy amounts to £306,069,” Mr. Forbes added. “The board’s expenditure is subsidised £1 for £1 from the Consolidated Fund, so that the excess of expenditure and commitments over income, with the Government subsidy added, amounts to £103,846. “I wish to make au appeal to those members of the community who. during the many years of prosperity which the Dominion has enjoyed, were successful in putting aside some of their income. In the difficult times through which we are now passing it is confidently hoped that they will utilise nt least some of their savings to tide them over the existing depression, and thus enable the Government and the Unemployment Board to utilise their funds for rendering assistance to a greater number of those less fortunate citizens who are out of work. Public Works Schemes.

“Large numbers of men have been employed by the Public Works Department on relief works, the average weekly numbers of men employed on relief works during the last three financial years being: Financial year, 1928-29, 3016; 1929-30, 3653; and 1930-31, -1898. Men have been employed mostly on the construction and widening of settlement roads and on main highways, but a few months ago effect was given to the recommendation of the department that the metalling of roads in sparsely-settled districts with struggling settlers should be carried out as relief works. About 70 per cent, of the men on the Public Works Department’s relief works are ent-' ployed on the co-operative contract system and paid by results. “Where the work is not suitable for letting by contract men are employed on day wages under the supervision of competent foremen and gangers. The expenditure by the Public Works Department on relief works from January 1, 1929, to March 31, 1931, and subsidies paid to local bodies on relief works is ns follows: departmental works, £2,341,143; subsidies paid to local bodies, £276,357; total, £2,617,500.”