OUT OF WORK

Evening Post, Volume CII, Issue 36, 11 August 1921, Page 7

OUT OF WORK

RETURNED SOLDD3RS' SUGGESTIONS.

Increasing unemployment among returned soldiers formed the subject of a lengthy discussion at last night's meeting of the executive of the Wellington Returned Soldiers' Association. It was reported that the number of members on the unemployment books of the association was 60. Since the bureau commenced its operations, three weeks ago, the number of permanent positions' secured was 17, while temporary jobs had been found for 20 men. The applicants on' the books had indicated, for the most part, that they were prepared to take any work that wag offering. Daring the discussion, it was explained that the policy of the association- was that preference in the matter of securing work should be^ given in.the following order: (1) Married returned ; (2) married civilians; (3) single returned soldiers; (4). single civilians. It was suggested that works on which returned men might be employed were:—Formation of lower recreation ground in Kelburn Park; formation of paths and drainage at Miramar; laying out and construction of recreation reserve, allocated at tho top of Elizabeth-street; duplication of Kilbirnie tunnel; erection of workers' homes at Miramar. Other schemes -were also mentioned. One was to proceed to the erection of the national war memorial at Wellington, which, it was estimated, wonld cost £100,000. Another was for the institution of a State lottery, a proportion of the revenue collected to be set apart, as was the case in Queensland, for the erection of free homes for soldiers' widows. No resolutions were passed, but it was decided to secure the fullest possible data on "the matter, and transmit it to the headquarters of the U.S.A. ' Details of a scheme adopted by the Commonwealtii Government two years ago were put before the meeting. The Government voted £500,000, as a repatriation employment vote, and distributed the money among the local authorities in the States.'A condition of the payment of the quota, due ( to each local body was that only returned soldiers be employed,' and that the works were of immodiate necessity. The work was all of an unskilled nature, being mainly confined to roade clearirig, excavating, metalling, forming, and 'channelling. In many* cases, it was reported that local authorities had supplemented the Commonwealth appropriation . from local funds, in order to continue giving work to soldiers. It was. decided to obtain full particulars of the scheme, referred to, .md to forward same to the headquarters of the association. [The caMe news in this Issue accredited to "Tha Times" has appeared in that journal, but only «her« «insasly «ut*d U lisa ntwa Ujs jUMSiiI ffilslM (tf f'JEto THm^_ m \