POINTS FROM LETTERS

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 135, 5 December 1930, Page 8

POINTS FROM LETTERS

"Elector" writes: The present Government is avoiding action in many directions. One absurd factor in the present unemployment position is that men and women who are drawing' superannuation pay (portion of which has been contributed by the servile public) are taking up outside jobs in competition with men and women who are without work (and pay). The worst factor is that, with the assistance .of their superannuation pay they can, and do, accept jobs at less than market rates, i.e., if they were without superannuation, and had to depend on a living from the outside job, they could not make a do of it. Furthermore, the wives of many Government employees are engaged in Government and outside jobs, and this should be ended. If the superannuated servants will persist in taking jobs, then income tax should be levied on them to the extent of their outside earnings." Attention is drawn by "Ship's Cook" to the great number of seamen unemployed in Wellington. Included are men in all departments, engine-room, deck, and catering. 'In the latter department unemployment could be avoided to some extent by signing on only men who are resident in New Zealand." The correspondent states that some thirty or forty men, who have their homes in Sydney, are working on New Zealand ships. "We are not allowed to join Australian ships, so why should they be allowed to join ours? To keep the money which is now being earned by Australians in New Zealand, and to relieve unemployment' here, the signing.on of overseas seamen should be abolished."