UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Greymouth Evening Star, 9 May 1930, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

LABOUR M.P.’S REQUEST.

[per press association.]

AUCKLAND, May 8

A request that Parliament should be called together immediately to deal with the unemployed problem was contained in a telegram sent this morning to Hon. G. W. Forbes at Wellington, by Mr M. J. Savage, M.P., for’Auckland West.

Mr Savage’s telegram was as follows:—“The unemployed problem has reached a desperate stage in Auckland. Numbers, running into thousands, are either wholly or partially unemployed. Their families are not getting sufficient to eat and winter is upon them. The local benevolent organisations, both public and private, are doing good work, which is totally inadequate to meet the position. Men, and women, too, want work, and are willing to face anything. They are human, and must be fed and housed. What will the Government do to give relief? It is no use talking about next yeap People are starving now. If Cabinet will do nothing else, it should at least call Parliament together and place the responsibility with the Members, who are helpless to do anything worth while until the House meets. We will do anything under the sun that will help to relievo the position/ and will be glad to have your assurance that action- is to be taken.”

MR. FORBES’ REPLY

AUCKLAND, May 9.

Replying to the request of Mr. Savage, M.P., that Parliament he summoned earlier in order to deal with unemployed relief, the Hon. G. W. Forbes says that 4,400 Auckland men have been given Government work since the present Government took office, and another 125 men will be placed within a week. The Cabinet Unemployment Committee is at present arranging further works for unemployed, and a very large number will be placed as early as possible. Mr. Savage, in a further reply, asserts that although 4400 men have been taken on, a still greater number have been discharged. He asks if the Local Government Loans Board can help by speeding up authority to borrow.

VICTORIAN TAXATION.

[BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.]

MELBOURNE, May 8. The Government’s Unemployment Relief Bill was read the second time in the Victorian Assembly. The Bill provides for the imposition of a stamp tax on wages of one penny in the pound per week on all incomes up to £312. On all incomes between £312 and £5OOO a year, there is to he a graduated tax. The amounts to be paid in addition to the ordinary income tax, on the incomes of £5OO and over will be as follow: On £5OO, £2/10/- per year; on £7OO, £4/4/- per year; on £lOOO, £7 per year; on £l5OO, £l5 per year; on £2OOO, £24 per year; on £3OOO, £39 per year. The Bill will operate for twelve months.

EX-SOLDIERS FOR INDIA.

ADELAIDE, May 8.

A number of single unemployed returned soldiers here have offered for service or duty; in the military or police forces in India.

N.S.W. PUBLIC WORKS.

SYDNEY, May 9.

Treasurer Stevens announced that sufficient money would be made available immediately, to provide work for 16,000 men on national relief works. A thousand men will make a start on Monday.

ROME’S DRASTIC ACTION

ROME, May 7.

The civic authority’s methods of dealing with unemployment are drastic. All workers who are not in positions are being transported else-, where. Rome is encircled by an immigration barrier, and only those may enter who produce evidence that work is awaiting them in the city.