WORK REQUIRED

Evening Post, Volume CXII, Issue 12, 14 July 1931, Page 8

WORK REQUIRED

POSITION IN THE CITY

REQUEST TO GOVERNMENT

1000 WITHOUT RELIEF

According to statements made at a deputation to Ministers oi' the Crown yesterday afternoon, there arc still 1000 men In ■Wellington who have received no relief work, and the Government is being asked to provide funds so that their case may bo met. The deputation was from Wellington members and the Wellington Unemployed Committee, and it was received by the Primo Minister (the Eight Hon. G. W. Forbes), the Minister of ■ Labour (the Hon. S. G.'Smith, and the Minister of Health (the Hon. A. J. Stallworthy). , The chairman of the Wellington Committco (Mr. J. I. Goldsmith) said it was evident that the relief provided for under, the.No. 5 scheme was not sufficient to fully maintain the men in any of the classifications. As, a result the burden fell on the Charitable Aid Board, and lie understood that the board's allocation of money was rapidly being used up. Tho committee asked that an extra day's work should be provided in each group at tho earliest possible moment. Mr. Goldsmith mentioned that there wore a number, of men in Wellington who had come to New Zealand under the immigration schemo and had undertaken to stay in the Dominion for iivo years. Some of these men had relatives at Home who wore prepared to forward the money to enablo the men. to return Home. He suggested that the Government might consider releasing these men from their obligation to remain in the country for a set period. The Minister of Labour remarked that the Government had allowed some of tho men to go, but they had returned to New Zealand. COST TO LOCAL BODIES. Owing to the cost of administration, said Mr. Goldsmith, many local bodies could not provido sufficient work to absorb all the unemployed. Instead of the present system of payment of wages through the various local bodies and later refunding, he asked if' it would not be better for the Labour Department: to pay the men direct on the present certificates of foremen, timekeepers, and engineers concerned. That would give a central control over finance and-reduce tho overhead charges of the local bodies that at present were making it difficult for those bodies to function. It would give tho Department an intimate touch with the men and better control of the number of men authorised. ■ Mr. Goldsmith said that unless men were in Wellington three months they could not' receive charitable aid. He would like an instruction to bo given to tho charitable aid boards to assist such men when they were here. The Primo Minister said mon flocked to the place where the conditions were, better. It was stated by Mr. Goldsmith that there were 1000 men in Wellington who had had no work at all.. If the Prime Minister -could tell the deputation that funds would be provided.it would wait on the Finance Committee of the City Council that evening and ask it to provide the work. • .The Minister of Labour:' "Do not tho 1000 men who have no work get a turn1}". . ' "i r.Mr, Goldsmith: • "They have never had a job at a]J.'' , • The-Minister* "Why do they :not get thoir. turn?'-' • Mr.. Soinple said there was just enough money to employ a certain number of men. If another 1000 were given a sharo of tho work those at present working 'would be reduced below the bread line. ■■•■■ MINISTERS' REPLY. The Primo Minister said he fully realised the, difficulties of the position in I which the Unemployment Committee was placed. The Uneinploymen' Board was doing its best to see that employment was provided for all who were iii need. -It was a serious matter that 1000 men were unable to secure work, and he would discuss the position with the Minister of Labour. Mr. Forbes.paid, a warm tribute' to tho efforts being mado by voluntary organisations to meet the unemployment si uation. The Minister of Labour said that Mr. Goldsmith had previously submitted a scheme whereby camps were to be pro-, vided. for single men in the country; and married men were to receive three days' work a week, married men with one child 3} days' work, married men with two children, four days' work, married men with three children 4i days' work,' and married men with fbiir children and over 5 days' v?ork. He ,had had a special investigation mado to see if that scheme was practicable, because the good work of the Wellington committee entitled any suggestion it might make to consideration. Such a scheme,, if applied to the Dominion, would cost £22,1(50, and for Wellington alone £1974 a week. Mr. Seniple: "Will the new taxation proposals*meet that scheme'?". The Minister: "I can't say." Mr. Seinple asked if the deputation could go back to the council and say that the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour were sympathetic to the representations and ask that work bo provided. The ' Minister of Labour suggested that probably a small committee, consisting of the Mayor of Wellington, a representative of Wellington members of Parliament, ana a representative of the Unemployment Committee could discuss the position with himself after representations had been made to the council.

The deputation agreed to adopt this course.