CAMPS DEFENDED

Evening Post, Volume CXV, Issue 123, 27 May 1933, Page 14

CAMPS DEFENDED

REPLY TO RUMOURS

MR. JESSEP'S STATEMENT

A reply to the rumours /which are circulating among relief workers regarding the unemployment camps was made today by the Deputy Chairman, of the Unemployment Board (Mr. J. S. Jesscp). Mr. Jessep said that confusion apparently existed in the minds of the-' public as to the distinction between ordinary Pnblic Works Department standard jobs and camps established by tho Unemployment Board specially for relief workers. Only three years ago, there were working under tho Public Works Department about 17,000 men, and at that time it was always asked by trade unions and others concerned with the interests of the men that preference be given to the engagement of married men for these camps. Tho only change in the circumstances so far as Public Works Department camps was that the rate of pay was now based on 10s per day. A close investigation recently made showed that for tho period from July last to March 31 the average of £3\per week was fairly well maintained, being exceeded in many cases. The work offered at 10s per day in Public Works Department camps was not relief work. It was normal employment at tho ruling rate of pay. Tho Unemployment Board's funds were' subscribed from the pockets of citizens, thousands of whom were themselves in littlo better case than relief workers. The duty of the board was to care, to the best.of its ability, for the margin of surplus labour that remained when all normal employment that was offer? ing was, filled. The board had no legal responsibility to men who refuse such normal employment. The Public Works Department camps, where 10s per day was paid, came under this heading. The board had therefore to hold that if any able-bodied man declined without adequate reason work that was offering, he himself absolved the board from further responsibility towards him. His condition of unemployment became voluntary, and the board could deal only with involuntary unemployment. ' ' LITTLE WORK IN CITIES. Discussing the other class of camps, established at the instigation of the Unemployment Board, and maintained by unemployment relief funds, Mr. Jessep stated that tho remuneration was necessarily lower. These camps were established for the reasons that if relief work done with the procoeds oi unemployment relief taxation were not, to the fullest extent practicable, of, a reproductive or potentially reproductive nature, the . logical consequence would bo that the source of the taxation would dry up, that employing authorities in urban and suburban areas had for some time been expressing difficulty in continuing to find in their Own areas useful work for large numbers of relief workers, and that in general such useful work could vov,' only be found oh a large scale in country areas. Therefore, as the work could not be brought to the city relief worker, there was no alternative but to take him to the work. There was nothing unusual in a man absenting himself from his homo for periods whon it was essential to provide for his wife and family. Carpenters, builders, contractors, bushmen, commercial travellers, business,men, and many others found it necessary to do so at times, and saw no wrong in it. It was hardly becoming, therefore, that a relief worker, who, unable to find employment for himself, was offered useful work to be paid for with money provided by his neighbours, should allow himself to be persuaded by irresponsibles that he should scorn it because it was not at his door. Happily this was realised by the majority of relief workers, who, after all, wero just our ordinary fellow-citizens. FORESTRY SCHEME. Mr. Jessep mentioned that arrangements made recently with the State ■Forest Service for the employment of relief workers on tree-planting provided aa instance of tko payments made.

in such camps. The rates were as follows: — i Married men with no children 23s per week Married men with one child .. 30s per week j Married men with two children 35s per week Married men with three or more children £2 per week) All of these meu would bo provided j with suitablo camps, and "found" in food by the Forest Service. Therefore, with the exception of their clothes, j tho whole of their money would be 'available for their wives and families, j [ Pares would be paid right to the camps, and suitable boots would ■be provided, j Mr. Jessep contended that these figures for relief work compared very favourably with the earnings today of many men in private employment. He added that married men had been steadily leaving Wellington during the- past few months for the goldflelds, over a hundred having gono since January last.