"DOUBLE THE LEVY"

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 138, 13 June 1931, Page 14

"DOUBLE THE LEVY"

BETTER THAN LOANS WOMEN WHO CAN PAY Begarding the present position of the Unemployment Fund, Mr. "W. T,. Strand, Mayor of Lower Hutt, states: — "I am sorry that tho Government did not continue, their present amount of felief; of course, the men, with their wives and families, must be provided for, and it rests with those more fortunate who are at present in employment to provide for them. In my opinion, it would be better to double the levy than to resort to loans.. In a crisis like this, I consider there are thousands of women employed in New Zealand who would be only too willing to par the same levy as tho men. Sustenance must be provided, and work is better than the dole, particularly if such work is of a- useful character. If work that was of a benoficial nature were provided, ratepayers would be willing to contribute mor« than if their money was being spent on improductive work. "Genuine and deserving cases m Lower Hutt; will receive every consideration that it is'possible to give. Just what can be done I cannot at present say, but every endeavour is being, and will be made, to meet the situation. Of this, however, I am sure, that the local bodies cannot carry the burden the Prime Minister is asking of them. Closer co-operation between the Government and the local bodies would produce much better results, and indeed the question of local control, of locally collected funds, is worthy of consideration. Useful work and work that will require materials of local manufacture is the most likely way of restoring things to normal."