RELIEF PAY

Gisborne Times, Volume LXXX, Issue 12200, 12 March 1934, Page 5

RELIEF PAY

BOARD’S) NEW POLICY

NOi MAINTENNCK WORK TO BE . DONE

CHECK TO LOCAL BODIES;

(Press Association)

WELLINGTON), March 10,

In, conformity nvith; a new policy decision of the Unemployment, Board np unemployed men will be supplied in future .for maintenance work of ■any kind, according to a P.A. message from Christchurch. The official view in Wellington is that the question raised is one of principle, and represents a definite departure from the allowance of what almost amounts to a misuse of relief labor by local bodies —in fact, the use of relief labor for the carrying out” of the ordinary functions, of local employing authorities. It is con ceded that some local bodies, in fact most of .them, have strictly., observed the line, of demarcation between their own responsibilities and the ease of unemployed labor.

“It will be obvious”, said an official, “that tlie extent to which relief labor is used to carry out the or, dinary (Work functions of local employing authorities, is the extent to which normal conditions are displaced. The board’s policy as an, alternative is in the direction of using its (funds in such a (way as to assist local bodies to proceed with necessary standard or . developmental works for which they are unable, out of their own funds, revenue or loan money, to meet the full costit is the. board’s desire to assist these works to. proceed, and it is always ready to litflp in the (way of sub sidy, calculated from the point of view of financial necessity, in order to bring about the employment of competent workers at full-time and at standard rates of pay. Only by such measures, it is contended, can industry be rehabilitated in normal conditions. Any other policy defeats its own ends.”