RELIEF WAGES

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XXVI, Issue 100, 8 April 1936, Page 4

RELIEF WAGES

Gradual Improvement Made in Rates of Pay MAXIMUM OF £2 7/A progressive improvement in the wages paid to relief workers has been going on ever since unemployment schemes were first introduced, and the new schedule drawn up by the Unemployment Board and put into effect on March 6, makes an all-round improve ment of 3/- a week in the wages for all categories. Under the amended scale of wages single men are paid 17/- a week for 12 hours’ work each week, and the maximum wage, for married men with seven or more children, is £2 7/- a week for 28 hours’ work. The scale begins with single men, and rises according to the number of dependants of each married mau The following scale shows the hour to be worked, and the wages paid, for each married category from a married mau with no children upwards to married men with seven or more children: 16 hours, 27/-; 16 hours, 31/-; 20 hours, 3:'/-; 24 hours, 39/-; 24 hours, 41/-; 24 hours, 43/-; 28 hours, 45/-; 28 hours, 47/-. Sustenance is reckoned at being worth 3/- a week, and that amount is deducted from the wages of men in receipt of sustenance. Prom 1934 to March, 1936, the wages for single men have been raised from 7/6 to 17/-; and for married men with seven or more children from 41/- to 47/-. The wages of married men without children have been increased from 10/- to 24/-. In addition, the hours of work have been considerably reduced in all categiories. To the end of 1934 the highest recognised class consisted of married men with four or more children, but in January, 1935, the maximum wage-rate was raised to include families of up to seven children. The increase made on July 1 of Inst year was three shillings for all married categories, and was granted in the form of a free bonus for which the men were not required to perform any additional work. The new scale introduced on March 2 last brought all relief workers into line in the matter of wages and hours of work, and wiped out the distinction made in January last year.