R.S.A. SUBSIDY PLAN

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 62, 11 September 1933, Page 3

R.S.A. SUBSIDY PLAN

In the course of a lengthy letter ou tho U.S.A. plan for unemployed returned soldiers, "One of the Public" writes: "The first section of the scheme proposes that the public be asked to employ returned soldiers at 5s per day and the E.S.A. gives another ss, making 10s per day. This is, I feel sure, put iorward without duo consideration. What about the other unfortunates who will be placed in an even worse position than they are in today through this scheme for mutual help? From the sums mentioned in the article, I take it that 10s per day is considered a reasonable wage under present conditions* although the R.S.A. states it is prepared to pay the. 5s subsidy if the employer is generous enough to pay 7a Cd, making 12s 6d per day. In a recent issue of 'The Post' work was asked for at 6s per day. Men are prepared to do'gardening or. any of the Other jobs which come in'the handyman class at 10s or 12s per day. But the effect of the 'Mutual Help Scheme' is that these men, from 0s per day upwards, have to reduce their rates to at least 5s per day to obtaiu even a hearing, .-With' the knowledge that the fact of the other man being a returned soldier may extinguish, the faint flicker of hope they had of getting a job. And 5s per day is half the day's wase which the K:S.A. member requires. Tho other individual requires as much per day as the returned man. How are the other competitors in the labour market to exist? I heard a .speaker at a meeting ask for the public support of the scheme on the grounds that the returned men had suffered, war disabilities, and that the meu left behind had dropped into good jobs. In many cases it is not the fault of the unemployed man that he did not get to the front. Many unemployed men with families today were boys during the war period; others were classed as unfit md rejected. Why does the R.S.A. not demand its rate of 10s per day for work done by its members as some fulfilment of the promises made by the people? It could then add its 2s Cd to make the rate the. 12a 6d per day to which it has no objection, r This would mean that the subsidy funds would go twice as far. . . It is with' reluctance I make these comments. I recognise the right of the R.S.A. to look after tho interests of its members, but I cannot agree to its right to use its funds to reduce the standard of HvinK of other members of the community." ______„„,_„__