FOXTON UNEMPLOYMENT. POSITION.

Manawatu Herald, Volume LII, Issue 4580, 17 March 1931, Page 3

FOXTON UNEMPLOYMENT. POSITION.

■ MEETING OF THE LOCAL W COMMITTEE. A meeting' of the Foxton Unemployed 'Committee was lield in the Council Chambers last evening pve- % sided over by Mr J. Iv. Hornblow. Also present were Messrs W. Ross, I’. Shaw, D. Ball, and the secretary (Mr W(ln. Trueman). Apologies for absence were received from the Mayor (Mr M. E. Perreau) and Constable R. Owen. v ’ MOTION OF (SYMPATHY. A motion of sympathy was passed to Mr Perreau, in the loss he had sustained bv the death of his mother. ALLOCATION OF WORK. The secretary reported that uu ■ der the No. 2 scheme, which had noiw terminated, 101 men had been given employment locally, in all 1875 days having been worked and £597 3/- was paid out in wages by the Unemployment Board, leaving a balance of £2 17/-. Under the No. 5 scheme £BO3 14/had been paid out in wages, to date. The Foxton Harbour Board had made application for twenty men for banking work at Rush Flat but there was some doubt as to whether they would require the full quota. Five men were started on this worK that morning. j CORRE S P ONDENCE. The Moutoa Drainage Board wrote agreeing to pay 1/0 per week towards meeting office expenses in connection with the administration of the No. 5 scheme. The secretary intimated that the Foxton Harbour Board had verbally agreed to contribute a similar amount. 'Circular letters 'were read from the Unemployment Board, pointing out that certain abuses had been discovered in connection with the operation of the No. 5 scheme and intimating that this scheme would be continued for another month. The Board also stated that all things being equal and where pro • ference was necessary local committees should give preference to Returned Soldiers. ADDITIONAL WORK SOUGHT. One of the unemployed waited on the Committee with a request that he be given an extra day’s work as, in addition to one child under 10, he had an invalid daughter dependent on him. He was now jn receipt of three days but considered he was entitled to four. The secretary slated that applicant’s wife had written to the Unemployment Board explaining the position and the Commissioner had replied that the local committee had discretionary power lo deal with such a ease. The committee had accordingly put the applicant on for .the extra day and the Board had been notified to this effect. The employment Board then wrote stating that the_app]icnnt could not receive more than three days’ work a week and the committee had therefore no other option but to cancel the extra day. There were several similar eases in the borough and if extra work was given to the applicant then the others would automatically have to be brought into line. The applicant stated that last week he had worked an extra day for which he had not been paid, because lie considered he was entitled to the work. He quoted a clause - in the rules drawn up to cover sustenance payment, which he considered covered his ease. The secretary stated that the rules drawn up to cover sustenance payment could not be applicable as - rather than pay sustenance the Government had formulated the No. 5 scheme. Sustenance rules did not apply to the No. 5 scheme. A general discussion followed, members' being of the opinion that the case .was a deserving one and that the committee should have power to use its discretion in such cases. The chairman pointed out, however, that in view of the Unemployment Board’s letter definitely stating that the applicant was not to ho employed more than the three days, it would be a dangerous thing for the committee to over-ride this decision. He suggested that the Board be again written to on the matter and if it was found that the applicant was in difficulties in the meantime, he could be asssted in another direction. This line of action was agreed to. LOST TIME, TO BE MADE UP. Mr D. Ball asked if men receiving two days’ work a week under the No. 5 scheme and who were unable, to wo ilk on the days allocated owing to weather conditions, could make up the lost time the following week. He stated that he had been informed that the Moutoa Drainage Board foreman had intimated that the men could not make up the time so lost. The secretary stated that provision was made in the rules governing the scheme for the men to make up lost time the following week. DECLARA TION 'FORMS. The secretary stated that he had drawn up some declaration forms which he was now sakdng men seeking work under the No. 5 sclieme-to sign. He stated that.it had been discovered that some men had been receiving more work than they were entitled to under the scheme. In one ease a man had been receiving four days work a week hut when asked to sign the declaration form to the 'effect that he was a married man with children, he had refused to do so and admitted that he was not 'married. There were one or two similar cases. The chairman said the forms were .very necessary and the secretary’s action was endorsed.