MORE WORK OFFERING THAN MEN AVAILABLE

Horowhenua Chronicle, 18 February 1931, Page 6

MORE WORK OFFERING THAN MEN AVAILABLE

Position in Foxton MATTER REFERRED TO UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD FOXTON, Last Night. The Foxton Unemployment Committee met on Monday evening, when there were present the Mayor (Mr. M. E. Perreau) in the chair, Messrs. W. Trueman, J. K. Hornblow, D. R. Barron, R. Owen, i D. Ball. G. F. Smith and F Shaw. Moutoa Drainage WorK Mr. Smith brought up the question of the work being provided under the No. 5 scheme by the Moutoa Drainage Board. He referred to the regrettable fact that the board was now faced with the difficulty of not being able to secure sufficient men to carry out the work which had been started. The board had put into operation a big scheme in order to find work for the unemployed, and he thought it would bo a great pity if, through the work not being completed, the effort was wasted. He pointed out that the work involved could only be undertaken during the dry weather, and he asked if the committee could not do something in order to ensure the board getting its full quota of men. The chairman said the Drainage Board had got its full quota of the men offering locally. He pointed out that both the Foxton Borough Council and the Manawatu County Council had done a lot to help the Foxton unemployed, and these bodies were entitled to receive full consideration from the Unemployment Committee. Mr. Hornblow said the work being undertaken within the borough was most essential and, while being fair to all, they had to look after Foxton's interests. The work provided in the 1 town under the No. 5 scheme would mean the saving of a largo sum to the borough. The suggestion to take men ■ away from Foxton to enable the Moutoa Drainage Board to get its work ‘ done was not fair to the borough ratepayers. Mr. Barron said they should not ' treat the matter as if they were acting as borough councillors, but should look | at it from the viewpoint of an unemployment committee. He thought ' they should see if the difficulty could be ' overcome. The secretary then read two letters ’ from the drainage Board, one dated . February 7, making application for 30 L men to commence as soon as the scheme r came into operation, and the other dated February 33, asking that, in view . of the seasonal nature of the work provided, the committee notify the Unemployment Board if unable to supply the . necessary meu. A lengthy discussion followed. t Mr, Ball said it seemed as though the . Drainage Board wanted all the local . men put on its work. Mr. Smith said that the Drainage [ Board had taken on a big scheme, and it appeared as though it could not ac- ! complish its work in the time unless > it got sufficient men. ! Mr. Hornblow: Cannot men be got . from Palmerston North? ■ Mr. Trueman: The Drainage Board 1 would have to transport them to and ■ fro. Members agreed that this was not • possible, and they could not expect s single men to pay their ow r n expenses i to come from Palmerston North in order to get two days' work per week. 1 Mr. Trueman considered that the ■ only way for the Drainage Board to ! get sufficient men was by sacrittcing i the other local bodies’ share of the lai bou.r availiable. s Mr. Shaw said he realised the Drain- ; age Board’s difficulty. He knew the ■ Moutoa country well and fully realised ! the damage which would result if there ; was a break in the weather and flood waters caused a scour. He thought the 1 only thing the committee could do was 1 to notify the Unemployment Board of 1 the position. • Mr. Hornblow considered the committee had acted very fairly. Ho thought • the only way for the Drainage Board ■ to get its work completed tvas by its ' getting a fair share of the unemployed and then paying the men for the bal- ! ancc of the time they were not allowed to work under the scheme, in order to make up a full week for each man. Mr, Trueman stated that the Oroua Downs Drainage Board was being sup- . plied with 12 men from Palmerston North and was providing free transport for those men. He anticipated an ap- • plication for men from the Harbour Board, which he understood was considering a proposal to erect a bank around Rush Flat. At present local , men were being supplied to the Foxton , Borough Council, Manawatu County . Council and Moutoa Drainage Board, and when the Harbour Board application came in the position would bo still worse. Mr. Shaw stated that if all the men had turned up to work that morning there would have been 23 working for the Borough Council, 24 for the Manawatu County Council and 25 for the Drainage Board. f The chairman said that seeing the Drainage Board had asked t,i. particulars bo furnished to the unemployment Board, he would suggest that this be done and that the Drainage Board in future draw all its meu from outside sources and leave the Borough Council and County Council to carry on their work with the local men. Air, Shaw said he anticipated that another ten men would be available for work next week, and the Drainage Board would receive its share of these. Board Had its Chance Mr. Perroau said that the Drainage Board had already had its chance to get its work done, but did not avail itself of the oppoprtunity. Ho stated that when relief funds wore lirst subscribed locally ho had offered them to the chairman of the Drainage Board for the purpose of providing work, but the offer had been declined. After a good deal of further discussion it was resolved on the motion of 'Mr. Hornblow, seconded by Mr. Smith,

‘ 1 that this committee, fully realising the importance of the Drainage Board ’s work, regrets it is unable' to supply more men without prejudicing the work provided by the Borough Council and the Manawatu County Council, but will supply the facts to the Unemployment Board for its consideration.” Must Be Stopped Mr. J. K. Hornblow reported that two able-bodied men from Palmerston North had come to him that day for assistance. These men had received two days ’ work under the No. 5 scheme in Palmerston North and, having seen in the press that more work was ottering in Foxton than there were men available, had spent their wages in paying for board in Palmerston North and had then come to Foxton to seek work. Of course, the only work available in Foxton was relief work and, as the men had nothing in their possession, he had been compelled to provide lodging for them under expense to the Charitable Aid Board. Mr. Hornblow pointed out that it was most unfortunate that men should be led to believe that there was work offering in Foxton, It was quite possible tl)at other men Avould be coming into the town seeking work and the same thing would happen. 'the board’s finances could not stand it, he said, and the thing had to be stopped. Mr. Trueman said the men should know that they must be sent by the Labour Bureau before they could secure work locally. ,