CALL ON CHARITY

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 221, 15 June 1931, Page 8

CALL ON CHARITY

If Relief Work Stops CITY’S POSITION Shifting the Charge “The carrying on of the present city relief works,” said the Mayor, Mr. T. O. A. Hislop, on Saturday, “giving employment for more than 1800 men, depends upon the continuance of the No. 5 scheme, and if that scheme is to be suspended on June 20 the men affected will be compelled to apply to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board, as the City Corporation has no funds available to meet the Prime Minister’s appeal to give the men work.” £lO,OOO from Electricity. “The question of carrying the unemployed under the No. 5 scheme by the City Council,” said Mr. Hislop, “was raised in connection with the estimates. In view of the difficult financial position of the corporation it became necessary to trench upon the funds of the Electricity Department for the purpose of carrying on the scheme, and so enable the very large number of men who would otherwise be entirely without work or means of subsistence to be employed. It was decided to set aside £lO,OOO to carry the scheme till the end of August This amount applies simply to the cost of supervision,' insurance, and materials necessary for the work, the whole of the wages being paid by the Government. No Means. “For the week ended June 6,” continued Mr. Hislop, “there were employed by the corporation under the No. 5 scheme 435 men by the Reserves Department and 1437 men by the Engineer's Department. The corporation was thus enabled to provide work for 1872 men. Doubtful Economic Value. “It may be pointed out,” continued Mr. Hislop, "that the restrictions which the Government imposes upon work which can be done under the scheme have led to most of the work done being of a typo that is not really necessary at the present time and which in the ordinary course of events would not have been done for some years, if at all. Consequently the scheme is open to the suggestion that it leads to uneconomic work being performed. This objection can be overcome if the Government, should the scheme be renewed, would remove some of the restrictions and allow to be done work which is reasonably necessary .at the present time, but which is not being done nor contemplated because of the financial position to-day. . . “It must be remembered that this year the income of the corporation for general purposes will be approximately only £230,000, which is £70,00|0 less than was actually expended last year. It can therefore readily be seen that if some of the restrictions at present affecting the No. 5 scheme are removed the gap between the money we have for general purposes and the amount that was actually expended last year would be partially bridged by-the carrying on of works of real value, instead of our being compelled to do work under the No. 5 scheme of doubtful economical value to the community. “Unless the scheme can be kept going,” concluded Mr. Hislop, "all the 1872 men at present on city relief works will be compelled to resort, for bare subsistence for themselves and families, to applying to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board for sustenance, and the cost of this will in its turn be reflected in additional charges upon the city next year without any work having been done to show for the cost incurred.”

“TOO SERIOUS FOR DELAY” Request to Mr. Coates Dominion Special Service. Palmerston North, June 13. The following telegram has been dispatched to the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates by Mr. J. A. Nash, M.P.: — “The Government’s proposal to stop the No. 5 scheme will throw thousands of men out of employment. This means starvation to many, and I respectfully suggest that you offer to support the Government in any proposals to find money in the meantime until the House meets. The position is too serious for delay.”