WORK FOR EX-SOLDIERS.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIII, Issue 420, 10 June 1922, Page 2

WORK FOR EX-SOLDIERS.

THE POPPY DAY SCHEME. i , BEY ENT Y-S EVEN U NEM PLOY ED. A meeting of the executive of.the Pal mer.slon North, branch of tin- New Zea land Roll lined Soldiers’ Association \va held last night for the purpose of coiisidei mg the Poppy Day unemployment scheme 'the ading-ehairman (Mr J. W. limber bird) reported that a total of 77 men Inn applied for employment under the Popp; Day distribution of work scheme) Thro [ men did riot stale whether they were mar tied or single, three were widowers will children, one was a single man with a tie pendant, 37 were married and 33 were single Ot tlie 77 applicant* only'3s were not ,-iriclb labouring men, among their number behq cooks, carpenters and similar tradesmen Two were shown as clerk.-. The fact that si great a majority were labouring men wen far in simplifying ihe work of the 11.5. A m finding employment for the men, I was fortunate that a large number wen not nion of a clerical type, since labour o: a suitable nature would have been tlillicul l to find for them. Ii seemed that; then would bo no clinically in placing any met who were lit and willing to carry out ; day’s work. The Kairanga C'utility Council die Palmerston North Borough Council am tli" High ,School Board had been approach ed and the Poppy Hay scheme pm befon diem, the Kairanga Council had agreed to take an indefinite number of men, aim subsidise ilm R.S.A. wages funds by £l foi ill. The Borough Council had forwarded n letter which slated that it was prepared ty employ any men nominal ed and ro give a £1 for £1 subsidy. The engineer bad been instructed to firing down a report with a view to facilitating die scheme. Regarding the High School Board, this body had a huh* work to be carried out and was in a position to employ two or three men. at the £1 lor £] subsidised rale. The ililiiunity lay in connection with disabled men who could not do heavy work. _ Mr 11. G. Jewell made a suggest ion that light work might be provided for the less healthy by private citizens who bad bodges to clip and other similar work to be done. Ho felt sure there would be at least 25 per cent, of the men who could not do ordinarv labouring work. The chairman said this idea bad been deprecated by the district headquarters. In practice it might not prove ellieacious. Personally he did not know of any man who was destitute of means who could not work - . He had never known a genuine ease, of hardship to be turned down by the Patriotic Society. After further discussion, a motion was passed strongly recommending that small cash payments bt made to those for whom suitable work could not bo found, and who were disabled and not- in receipt of a sulheienl pension to maintain ilimn. it was decided that this be a recommendation to be included in a report, to be submilled to the committee elected by tile district conference lo deal with unemployment under the Poppy Day scheme, it was also resolved that tho report include a recommendation to advertise for light work io bo supplied by private citizens under the subsidy scheme. Also that it- be a recommendation ihai certain men whose cases had been investigated should be placed with returned soldier settlers, to work for their board, the Returned Soldiers’ Association to consider tho question of paying a small Wage our of the funds. These three recommendations, together with the promises of the three public bodies regarding tho supply of work and the subsidy, and the figures quoted above will comprise the report, which is to be submitted to the commit tee. Incidentally, the chairman staled that ho ilid not think the share of the funds io be allotted to the Palmerston North district would be more than £SOO, .Any scheme put forward would necessarily be incomplete, but the association would endeavour to meet the problem as comprehensively a- possible.