UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Evening Star, Issue 19892, 14 June 1928, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

CITY COUNCIL'S COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMME WORK FOR 160 HEN EXPEN IDTURE OF NEARLY £15,000. A comprehensive programme of works for the relief of unemployment in Dunedin during flic winter was approver ny the City Council last night. In referring to the instructions to Iho Finance Committee to report on the necessity and feasibility of raising £IO,OOO (the result of a motion by Cr Munro), the chairman (Cr Clark) stated that the committee had felt it necessary to follow the spirit rather than the letter of the instruction and report on tho general possibility of providing work for the unemployed. The committee had gone into tho question very carefully and had raked every department with a tooth comb in order to find works on which men could be placed. The heads of tho departments had been mot in conference, and the main object that had been kept in view was the securing of work that would employ a good deal of labour and not much material The committee’s proposal provided lor tho expenditure of £14,535 in the following allocations:— Drainage Board £7,735 Deserves > 880 Water department ... 3,134 Works department ... 2,830

Cr Clark said the above sums would provide work for IGO men, including returned soldiers, and in addition twenty-one carters, Tho periods of employment would necessarily vary. Advice had been received from the Government that it would bo employing 130 men, so it could be taken that the unemployment position --in Dunedin would bo relieved to tho cxtent_of over 300 men. The sum of £14,585 would not be completely absorbed in wages, as a proportion would have to bo spent in materials. The first necessary step was to have the various works approved as unemployment relief works at an early date in order that the Government subsidy could be obtained. Within the next six weeks the Waipori works would absorb twenty-nine extra men. making a total of 115 men, who would be employed on tho dam. Every effort would no made to keep in their jobs all men at present employed. Cr Mitchell said the committee had given the matter very _ careful consideration, and thought it was not advisable to borrow as suggested. The Mayor congratulated the Finance Committee. It must not bo thought, he said, that because the original suggestion was modified less employment would be provided. The proposals,, with the Government assistance byway of subsidy, would go a long way towards relieving the distress that existed. A supplementary report of tho committee setting out the proposed scheme was : considered in committee and adopted. It read as follows:—‘‘Tho committee, lias- conferred with the chairmen of the standing committees and heads of departments on the subject of providing works for tho relief of unemployed during the present wintei. ]t was agreed at the conference that ns n matter of principle the borrowing of money for such works should not bo resorted to, but that au effoit should lie made, as far as the council’s finances would permit,to relieve unemployment by putting in hand suitable works of permanent value to tho city which would absorb the largest possible percentage of labour. A schedule of such workss approved by the conference, is submitted hereunder, and it is recommended that the same be approved on tho following conditions;—(a) that they receive the sanction or the Public Worjcs Department as relief works, and so carry the Government subsidy; (b) that married men only be employed meantime; (c) that each applicant shall produce a letter from a_ ratepayer nr well-known citizen certifying that such applicant has been a resident of the city for not less than the six months last past; (d) that all applications be made in tho first case to the Government Labour Bureau, who will pass on recommended applicants to tho city engineer for approval; (e) that the rate of pav be at the relief rate as prescribed by the Government of 12s per dav for married men. ■ The schedule of proposed works is as follows WORKS DEPARTMENT. York place.—Remora g banks and screening footway, east side, opposite Tennyson street... £2oU Bine- Hill road.—lmproving entrance at George street, earthwork, and metalling; also improving view at bond, top of steps from George street bridge 223 Ross street.—Widening, earthwork, and metalling north side from Scarba street west 315 Alva street.—Formation, completion of lower end -00 Stafford street.— Flattening slope of bank, top end, north side town belt ... 80 Mornington road.—Widening at Clarke’s subdivision 200 Cannington road. Earthwork, metal, and culvert, west end, Nees’s frontage 778 Aberdeen road and Ravenswood road.—Widening formation ... 300 Maori Hill Bus Route.—Widening formation and extending culvert, approach to Driver’s road ... •••■ 339 Cemetery road.—lmproving corner at Opoho road 121 Total £2,836 ■■ WATER DEPARTMENT. Improvement of the intakes and pipe line supplying the Ross Creek Reservoir by laying 2ft-diameter pipes, with 18-iu diameter brandies, to the intakes in Ross Creek and Wakari Creek to replace the existing 12in pipe. Estimated cost, £3,134. “ The above list is in addition to the works'Tor' unemployed returned soldiers “•which have already been approved by the Reserves Committee, and which will absorb from twenty to thirty men. “The E.P. and L. department cannot take on additional men at present, but expects during the next few weeks ta increase the labouring staff at Waipori by about thirty men. Tho number employed at present on the dam and other works is seventy-nine. “The gas department is still employing additional labour on the gas works extension, and is not in a position to increase its staff. ‘‘The tramways department has in view the contemplated extension to Look-out Point. . The work cannot, however, be put in hand until the necessary authorising Order-in-Council shall have been obtained from the Government, niid past experience indicates that it will take at least three months-to secure the order. Tho matter is now receiving attention. “The proposed expenditure by the water department, amounting to £3,134, would to some extent bo a. charge against the renewal fund, depending upon, tho value of the portion of the work which may properly be regarded as a renewal. The estimate also includes the cost of the necessary pipes, which will, be‘manufactured locally. “ With regard to the matter of financing tho. Contemplated outlay by the works department, amounting to £2,836, as set forth above, the committee has to report that of that sum it is estimated that approximately £BOO will be obtained as subsidy from,tho Government, leaving tho council to find the balance of £2.000. No provision has been made in the present year’s estimates for such expenditure, and your committee suggests that the question of making the necessary finan-

oial provision stand over for consideration later on in the year, when, the; probable effect on the general account will be more definitely ascertainable. At present it would appear that an addition to next year’s rate of Jd in the £ would be required to cover the outlay. Tmthe meantime, however, it is suggested that every effort be made by the department to economise expenditure wherever possible with tho object that itm.ay, be found- practicable to finance the "relief works, other than by way of an increase in the rate.”-