POVERTY BAY REQUEST

Hokitika Guardian, 16 July 1931, Page 3

POVERTY BAY REQUEST

TO UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD. (By Telegraph —Per Press Association) GISBORNE, July 15., At to-day’s meeting of the Cook County Council, a discussion took place (in unemployment and on the unproductive work carried out undef the No. 5 .Scheme. The speakers commented that it was a pity that money should he frittered away on unproductive work when such a project as the Gisborne railway was uncompleted. It was pointed out that there were sufficient rails and sleepers lying idle at Mai caraka railway station (four miles from Gisborne), for sev< nteen “miles'of line. ...

The County Engineer, in reply to a question, said that there was no more County work to lie done at present. It was decided, to make efforts to secure a. grant from the Unemployment Board to place men on the construction of the flab portion of the Gisborne-Wairoa railway. After this motion was carried, Cr. Baker stated that the No. 5 Scheme was more or less, a farce, and was becoming more so. The community would, obtain much more benefit if the unemployed were, drafted on to farms The farmers were having difficulty in keeing their lands in order. If, he said, the proposal to use the unemployed on railway works, failed, the community should have an alternative proposal. He proposed that of .fann work. For this the Unemployment BoaVd should find the wages anl the farmers could find the men’s keep. If the Board could pay the whoe of the wages for chiping grass from parks and digging drains, it could well afford to pay the whole of the wages in keeping up the farm production of the country for the country’s benefit. Eventually the Chairman of the Council, Mr C. Matthews, and Cr. Baker were deputed to draft a letter to the Minister urging that men be placed on farms so as to keep the land in order, and that all of the wages he paid by the Unemployment Board.