UNEMPLOYMENT

Greymouth Evening Star, 29 July 1932, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

THE WEEK’S REGISTRATIONS. [PER press association.] WELLINGTON, July 28. An increase of 57 in the registered number of the unemployed throughout New Zealand is recorded in the figures for the week ending July 25 last, which was released by the ActingMinister of Employment to-day. The total number on the books of the Labour 1 Bureaux on July 25 was 55,203, as compared with 55,146 during the preceding seven days. Of the total number of the registered unemployed, 43,631 were engaged under the'No. 5 relief scheme. This left 11,572 men unplaced or standing down. DISTRESS IN 'CHRISTCHURCH.

CHRISTCHURCH, July 28.

As a result of a large number of the wives of unemployed workers waiting on its Benevolent Committee, the Hospital Board to-day sent tile following telegram to the Unemployment Board:—“Large number of wives of relief workers, some of them expectant mothers, are applying here, and stating that they have no food in their houses. Your officer will not help. He also declines to meet this Board’s committee to discuss the matter. What is to be done.”

GREYMOUTH UNEMPLOYED.

[to the editor.]

Sir, —I find these cold winter evenings give one more time to peruse columns, which at other times would probably be neglected. After reading in last night’s “Star,” the repo”t of the unemployed workers’ meeting, I am sure many of us must wonder if the majority of the unemployed on the Golden Coast are workless through this world-wide depression, or individually deprived of work through mental inability to cope with jobs when they had one. In the jumble of inane piffle I read there was an obvious disinclination to assist by selling tickets. This is a strong indication that those responsible have not enough sense to plug the holes in the bottom of their canoe. I have good reasons to believe there are intelligent unemployed workers in this town and before long will see the few dozen of them form a new union of their own and will carefully tread their thorny path and avoid hurting the ever helping hand. —I am, A MELTING GOLDEN EGG.

[to the editor.] Sir, —I read with amusement the report of the man-hunt and various other things which happened at Wednesday’s meeting of the Greymouth unemployed. What tickled my fancy was the report of the boot repairing scheme. The Mayor’s Fund is apparently very healthy at present, but is on the right road to destruction when £l6/12/6 worth of repairs shows a profit of only £l/0/4. Now, Mr Mayor, supply any Greymouth boot-repairer with the material as you are supplying it to the “unemployed,” at present, and he would be quite willing to give his labour free. You would save 12/6 a day and he would have the ‘pickings.’ Why not distribute the work amongst the local tradesmen (who are at present only scratching but a living). Two men are being kept on full time, w;hilst there is a grave danger of putting halfa dozen tradesmen on the dole, and once on, one may t want to,, stay.- on. Failing this, I wbiil’d” suggest that an unemployed tailor be engaged to make clothing, and why not include the butcher and baker. —-Yours etc., GET RICH QUICK.