UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Hawera Star, Volume L, 16 January 1931, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

MEASURES TAKEN AT HAWERA LITTLE WORK OFFERING REPORT TO COMMITTEE. “With an initial grant of £SO we made our first commit-meat on December 16, 1960. Since then further grants totalling £2OO have been received, of which sum we have to date committed ourselves to an expenditure of £IBB 2s. This lias all been used to subsidise employers of otherwise unemployed men on the basis of £1 for £l,’’ reported the lion, secretary (Mr. J. E. Campbell) to a general meeting yesterday afternoon of the South Taranaki local Unemployment Committee, over which the Mayor (Mr, E. A. Pacey) presided. “Registrations to date total 123 men, of whom 79 are married, with 228 persons totally dependent on them and 25 partially dependent; 44 single men (four of whom are widowers) have six total dependents and five partial dependents. -Some of the men have as many as nine persons totally dependent on them. Of this number work has been found on a subsidy basis for 95. ‘ Many of the remainder are physically incapable of doing the class of work offering, while some register and, fail to report further as required. “A total of 539days’ work has been provided for the men through our agency. I have also supplied men for positions which carry no subsidy. These are not included in our figures or totals, nor is the work found or money spent by the Hawera Borough Council in its relief work under Scheme 1. In addition, a further special grant of £25 for those for whom work could not ho found, has also been administered. “Forty to flftv men attend daily at the office seeking employment, and it is distressing to often have nothing to offer. This has happened on several days recently when rain had made harvesting impossible. Wednesday last was one of the bright days, however, and I was able to employ practically all those who sought work that morning. I sincerely hope some scheme will be evolved to provide work when harvesting is finished. APPLICATION CONDITIONS.

“I think it is advisable that members of the committee and the general public who are not in touch with the work should know the obligations which devolve on the workers themselves. (1) Every male must be registered under the Act and have paid his first levy of 7s 6d. (2) Every applicant for work under the Act must- eompelte an unemployment card at the Post Office and post same to the Labour Department, New Plymouth, and continue to renew this registration every two weeks if still unemployed. In addition he must, if he requires the assistance of the local committee, register with me at the Council Chambers and report every morning at 9.30 while still without work. Men who do not report are assumed to be employed. Men who have not paid the first levy can under certain circuinstances be temporarily exempted, but must made immediate application. Any employer employing a worker who has not already paid liis first levy is liable to a fine of £2O. “Persons wishing to provide employment are requested to make thenwants known as far as possible ahead, as it is very often difficult to provide a suitable man at a moment’s notice. “One question which has caused the executive much thought is the matter of how to deal with applicants from other districts. We have had several of these and their cases are often very distressing. Without food or shelter and willing to work, and sometimes with wives and families in other towns, they present a problem difficult of solution. It is not easy to pass them on feeling that nothing bright lies ahead. “The majority of the men we have employed have* given great satisfaction and many encouraging reports have been received from satisfied employers. The men, on the other hand, are generally appreciative of the treatment they receive at the hands of the employers. Such results are very gratifying and provide compensation to those whose duties make such things possible. Many reports are current_to the effect that employers are discharging hands in order that their services might be returned to them under subsidy. This committee has no evidence of anything of the kind, and the signed statement of every man employed promptly disproves such allegations. The committee desires work for the men and any person who will provide it in accordance with the schedule laid down by the Unemployment Board is entitled' to the subsidy. “The problem of the future is work, and this committee will have to give much attention to the matter if our out-of-work citizens are to be provided for. The matter is very, very urgent.” SUGGESTION To‘ BOARD. The meeting was strongly of opinion that except in the cases of men physically unable to work, recipients of sustenance allowances should be required to perform work of a public nature under the direction of a local body, equivalent to the amount granted them. If necessary, the Act should be amended accordingly. A suggestion along similar lines is to be forwarded to the Unemployment Board. Endeavours are to be made by Mr. J. S. McKay to find work for the unemployed in the Manaia district, and the co-operation of farmers in that direction would be appreciated by the committee.

Criticism was made of the present system un(?er which the committee has to rely for subsidies on the numbers of South Taranaki unemployed registered at the New Plymouth Labour Department. It was stated that men were omitting to forward their fortnightly re-registration cards to New Plymouth and the department there was totally misinformed of the position in South Taranaki.

The attention of the Labour Department is to be drawn to the fact that the present system is cumbersome and unworkable and that the department be asked to take the South Taranaki local committee’s registrations as the basis of subsidies or to establish a branch of the Labour Department at Hawera.