RATIONED WORK

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 4 February 1931, Page 8

RATIONED WORK

RELIEF Oh] UNEMPLOYMENT

DER AILS OF -No. 5 SCHEME

hollowing the summary telegraphed in a Press Association message tro-ni Wellington and published on Monday, further details have been received concerning Ihe Unemployment Board s No. 5 scheme, under which proposals arc made for rationing work for placing unemployed with local bodies %rnd through which it is hoped to avoid the paviliont of sustenance. It is proposed that work will be rationed in proportion to a mail's dependants, and wages, which wilt be at the ruling rates, will be found by the board. Local bodies arc expected to provide the supervision and the materials required for the work undertaken. A sum of CIoO.GGO has been authorised for expenditure l on the scheme. Details of Scheme No. o are as follow : (1) Workers who have been resident in New Zealand for six months and have paid a contribution to the Unemployment Fund, or have been granted exemption by the board, and are unemployed, and have been registered as such for 14 days at the labour exchanges, or, where no labour exchanges exist, at the local post offices, are eligible for employment under this scheme during the months of February and March. Ordinary employees must not be discharged to take advantage of this offer.

(2) Work will be rationed out 011 the following basis: —• (a) Single 111011 to be given two days’ work each week at the ruling rate of wages for the work undertaken. (If) Workers who furnish proof to the focal Unemployment Committee', or local body officer where no local committee exists, that they are maintaining in New Zealand a wife or a wife and one dependent child under 16 years of age, will, be given three days’ work each week.

(c.) Workers who furnish proof to the local Unemployment Committee, or local body officer where no local committee exists, that in addition to maintaining two or more dependent children under 16 years of age, will he given four days’ work each week. (d) A widower with dependent child or children under sixteen years of ago to be treated as a. married man.

(3) Work will be provided through the medium of city councils, borough councils, county councils, harbour boards river boards, road boards, drainage boards, domain boards, hospital hoards, education hoard's, tramway boards, and all similar local bodies as approved by the Unemployment Board. 4. The work approved for this scheme 1 m ust, be other than, that which is provided for on tins year’s estimates or which, would in ordinary circumstances be provided for on the next estimates or work which has been merely left off .the estimates in anticipation of an employment subsidy.

.3, The work carried out must be under proper supervision of the engineer or foreman in charge of the local authority, and the workers will be subject to the same discipline as all other employees. 6. Any worker who is dismissed l for mi.—conduct or who leaves tho work of his own free will, or who l refuses to take the work when offered, will not be entitled! to further work for two weeks, or until all other registered workers have been given work, whichever is the longer period.

7. .Local authorities are to be invited to furnish a return to the nearest Unemployment Committee immediately sotting out the number of men for whom work can be organised. The board will provide the full amount to cover wages paid to the men so employed, not exceeding the standard rates current on public works, relief works, the local authority providing all materials required. all supervision, transport and cartage. 8. Tire local committee, in conjunction with the labour exchange, to seelci out the men to be employed in, accordance with requirements. 5). Where there are more men offering for work than there are jobs available, married men with the greatest number of dependents are to have preferene, Consideration to be also given to length let’ time the applicant has been out of work, and where greatest hardship exist s.

10. Where no labour exchange is in existence the placing of men will he carried out by the local committee. Where there is no local committee the engineer of the local authority is to engage the labour on the terms set out. n hove.

11. Wages to be. paid by the local authority weekly to the men engaged tinder this scheme. 'Hie local authority ho claim refund from the local postmaster on one voucher for total weekly sum. Local committee, or local body officer where no committee exists, to wire to Unemployment Commissioner each Monday estimate of wages to be paid for the coining week, naming the postmaster to be imprested.

12. If more work is available than there are men available, the local committee or local body officer to get in touch with the nearest local committee to see if there are men available or. failing that, to advise the Unemployment Commissioner at once.

13. Advice is to be forwarded by the local committee, or, where no committee exists, by the local body officer each Monday to the Unemployment Commissioner of flu* number of men employed during flic previous week, showing (lie* separate number under each heading of two, three, or four days, and (lie total wages paid for that week.

14. Tin? local committee to report also to the* Commissioner from time* to time, but not less than once a neck, (be number of eligible men for whom no work has yet been provided.