LOWER HUTT POSITION

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 135, 5 December 1930, Page 10

LOWER HUTT POSITION

WORK BEFORE CHRISTMAS

A special meeting of the Lower Hutt Borough Council was held last evening to consider two schemes outlined by the Mayor (Sir A. P. Roberts) to give immediate work to the unemployed men in the borough so that acute distress could be relieved before Christmas. The Mayor said that 247 married meu had been unemployed in the borough, but 33 of them had got work outside, leaving 214. Of these, 107 had already had some work, but there were still 107, many of whom had had no work for months. The Unemployment Board had expressed a desire that all married men should have at least 14 days' work before Christmas. "The first scheme he outlined was that for filling in the swampy land near the Awamutu Stream. The conference of engineers had reported that this would cost £3300. The council had considered that the proposal of the Government, that the council should find £800 for this work, was not acceptable, as the work was very largely a Government responsibility. The Government had now offered to find £2930 if the council would find £400. It was his opinion that the council should accept this offer, which would employ 20 men for some weeks. The second scheme was that tho borough should have a clean-up of its streets for Christmas by removing tho grass and doing certain open-dram cleaning and work at the rubbish tip —work which would not have been undertaken otherwise. The estimated cost of this work was £1500. There were three elements to be considered in finding work. The first was time—tho work must be immediately available — next a minimum of plant must be used, and thirdly a minimum of material. This was the only work the borough could put in hand which would comply with these requirements. It was suggested that the council should agree to give half of whatever the Unemployment Board offered up to a total expenditure of £1500. Thus, if the proposals were carried, the council would be committed to £400 for tho Awamutu scheme and up to £500 for the other, a total of £.900. After considering the matter the

council unanimously agreed to the proposals, and as a result immediate application, will be made for the money, and, if it is approved by tho Unemployment Board, some men will be put on about Monday next. The only men who will bo employed are local men who have dependants and who have not had permanent work prior to Ist December, preference being given to those who have been out of work for the longest period.

SEAVIEW ROAD,

A formal resolution was passed by the Lower Hutt Borough Council last evening handing over to the City and Suburban Highways Board Seaview road, and in lieu thereof taking back a portion of the Gracefield road which had been under the jurisdiction of the Highways Board.