COULD BE BETTER USED

Evening Post, Volume CXVI, Issue 90, 13 October 1933, Page 8

COULD BE BETTER USED

TJNEMPLOY3IENT TAX

COUNCILLOR'S VIEWS

"The taxpayers in New Zealand are finding about £4,000,000 or more per annum to pay to the unemployed, and I submit that the best use is not being made of that revenue. I am sure there are men among| the local bodies of the Dominion who could devise ways and means of making better use of that money," said Councillor E. Windley at today's meeting of the Makara County Council. Like other local bodies, said Councilor Windley, the Makara Gosuncil admitted that the No. 5 scheme was not satisfactory. The works under the scheme were nearing completion, and naturally local bodies were concerned and anxious to know what was going.to happen. The position in regard to the scheme was the same practically throughout the Dominion. About two years ago local bodies met in conference to try. and agree upon some scheme of work, but very little had been accomplished, and very little work of a valuable nature had been carried out. "Local bodies," he.said "are up against it in the matter of finding something for the men to do. We agree that the No. 5 scheme has come to the end of whatever usefulness it possessed.: The deputy chairman of the Unemployment Board recently suggested a piecework scheme. He referred to the position as being a tragedy, and I agree with him, but so far as Mr. Jessep 's proposal to institute a system of piecework is concerned I don't think any local body in New Zea-. land would do it. To begin with it is impracticable. Wo have no works of such a nature that they would lend t themgelves to piecework. I submit it is for the'local bodies to make a move in order to have the position cleared up and to endeavour to arrive at some scheme that is going to get rid of the No. 5 scheme. What is really wanted is a Dominion, conference not only of representatives of local bodies but of others concerned with" the welfare of the unemployed." MEN WOULD GO ON DOLE. If the position continued, said Councillor Windley, the obvious conclusion would be that the men would be on the dole, because local bodies would have nothing for them to do. The Unemployment Board was doing its best to cope with a very difficult position. They put forward schemes from time to time, hoping that some benefit would be derived-from them, but no lasting benefit had Tesulted. It was really a continuation of the present scheme, and something better than that was wanted. He contended that the only way to get something better than the No. 5 scheme was to call the conference he suggested. Obviously the unemployment tax would remain in force a long time, and unless something was done it would neVer be lifted. He thought that with signs of improving times something should be done to find ways and means of utilising the revenue from the unemployment tax in a direction which would prove.more useful to the country as a whole. The chairman (Mr. E. W. Bothamley) said he agreed with what Councillor Windley had said. "We can't throw the responsibility on anybody else, I am afraid; we have got to do something ourselves,," he said. Other councillors also endorsed Councillor Windley's remarks.