UNEMPLOYMENT
WOMEN AND BOYS
BOARD'S ACTIVITIES
. A reply to criticism made by th» Labour member forLyttelton (Mrs. E. R. McCqmbs) regarding assistance i'or unemployed women and boys was made by .Mr. S. G. Smith (Government, New, Plymouth) in the House of Representatives today. ........ Dealing with the assessment of th« value of meals at Is, Mr. Smith said that in assessing the value of meals for; unemployment taxation, purposes th» Unemployment Board was guided by; the current industrial awards for hotel and restaurant workers, which assessed the value of meals at Is each. Hovr« ever, in order not to inflict a hardship in some cases by fixing this amount at a definite figure, and in order, to/fix a. reasonable maximum where all "meals were provided, the ruling of the .board provided that if meals only were sup« plied they were to be assessed at la each (except whore the awar<l' fixed a lessor rate), with a maximum of :12s a week. It could not bo argued •that the board had not framed a fair and equity ■ able ruling •in this connection. ' ■ Dealing with '• unemployment- conn mittees, Mr; Smith said ; that thai statement made to the effect that r< it was not until : committees' of social organisations decided to take some action" that anything was -done at all" was not correct. The" initial action was taken by the board,- and ia fact grants had been made for the relief of unemployed women in the f o'ui; centres before the women's unemplOj> meilt committees Were established. Also, these committees, which werer apparently the ones referred td, were set up at the instigation of the board and not as the result of action taken byj social organisations as was suggested. The assertion that these committees were "being driven to seek charity so that ■ they could assist unemployed girls" was also not according to fact, as the Unemployment Board had never, refused to meet any reasonable ie« quest from committees for" funds for; this purpose. • UNEMPLOYED YOUTHS, Replying to the allegation that as far as the Government ww concerned a boy ceased ,to exist "the .day he reached the ago of 16, Mr. Smith said that although the Unemployment Act did not make specific provision for the relief of unemployed youths, .that, fact had. not deterred the,board froni assisting in several, ways... Qver. 200.0 youths Of from 18 to 20 .years of age'had bees granted assistance by way of subsidy Under the board's i scheme. No, 4a, and under another scheme (N6;'7) a limited number of boys between 1 the' ages ofj '16 and 20 had been,assisted '6n",farm4 "where they' received, a general'1 training in farm' methods. A'_ sm^ll weekly} 'cash payment was mado by the^bpanli tothe youths. Theboard .'had;also» authorised the payment of a subsidyj for tho training of sons of soldiers'at Flock/House. .'. ?, As a result of the activities of thai boys', unemployment committees' in.tha main centres, a large number of boyst had been placed' in both' town and1 country positions.' The board had) assisted these committces'With funds to cover administration expenses, and la some cases had paid the fares Of bey 3 and provided some clothing when they; were transported to positions ■ in. the country. .•■ "■•;•""'" v '■" '"' Individual schemes for relieving thej "poy unemployment problem always io-t '«eiyed. favourable ;eon:sidefa'tii>if ? - , Sidl '■one eiample of ia,'Very' gdotl^e'clietne! the board waSassistiai^was tha Wauganui youths' -sand-dune afforesta^ tiou campj About 50 boys' iwere em.* ployed' in the camp, towardtt&e establishment of which-the board: jiiade- » fairly substantial grant. ■.'■i!sr>.;.;
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Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1933, Page 2
Word Count
581UNEMPLOYMENT Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 84, 6 October 1933, Page 2
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