THE UNEMPLOYED

Manawatu Standard, Volume LI, Issue 207, 3 August 1931, Page 8

THE UNEMPLOYED

NO ADDITIONAL FUNDS. LOCAL COMMITTEE'S PROBLEM, j The weekly meeting of the Unemployment Committee was held this morning when Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., i presided. Others present were the ; Mayor (Mr Mansrord), Messrs Batchelar, Hudgens, Graham, Collis and j Lowden (secretary). - . j The Commissioner of Unemployment; wrote requesting a return outlining j all productive works under the No. 5 i scheme, particularly in respect to new: drains, stopbanks, etc. —The secretary- j mentioned that no new had: been undertaken. Messrs Batcnelar | and Hodgeiis commented that there j was plenty of work or that nature ; which could be undertaken if permit- J ted. and 3D Coiiis stated that while j the farmers had in ail probability at- 1 tended to 95 per cent, of the cleaning of existing drains there was much new work waiting to be undertaken. Hon. S. G. Smith, chairman of the Lnempioyment Board, in a letter to the cnairman of the local committee, stated that, in regard to the transportation of unemployed to relief works and in connection with the utilising or unemployed on drainage work on private lands, the question was now being j considered by the board. The letter. also made reference to the arrangement entered into with drainage j boards. The secretary said that he had received a request that men be put on j cleaning up the Buuuythorpe rifle I range, a volunteer corps now having I been formed in that area. He had, j however, deemed it advisable that the i application be made to the Hon. J. G. Cobbe, 31inister of Defence.—The committee agreed with the action taken. The Commissioner, of Unemployment, advised that no additional allocations would be made in future. The reading of the letter ied the chairman to comment that it opened up a; new question, for the board had stated that, under the administration of the Act. it had been definitely ruled that work was to be given to only ablebodied men. The secretary: All those employed are doing able-bodied men's work. Mr 3lansford: What constitutes an able-bodied man? Are you going to draw a distinction between the professional navvy and the casual labourer? The secretary; The board has the impression that there have been a number ox men employed locally over the age of 60 years who have not in recent years followed their regular occupation as labourers. The chairman: I nevertheless see difficultes ahead. The allotment for unemployed in the whole or the Dominion is £50,000 a week. It is not going to meet the position and, while the j Commissioner realises this, he has no other recourse than to limit the allocations, for he is bound down. 3lr Batchelar: He is in the same position as we are in the local bodies. There is plenty of work to be done, but little money. The secretary mentioned that he had a scheme under review whereby certain men who were at present on four days a week would be reduced to three days a week. While it might mean hardships in certain cases, the relief depot was rendering assistance and it would have to be determined what the actual effect wouid be. Under ordinary circumstances in the winter a labourer was frequently restricted to getting in working time on but three days a week.

Sir Hodgens drew a comparison of a labourer working for three days a week at 15s per day, which would bring in a return of £9 for four weeks’ work on that average, whereas the married man under the No. 5 scheme was limited to four days a week at 12s 6d for three weeks out of the four, which would only return £7 10s. To curtail him a further day would reduce his earnings to £5 12s 6d for four weeks. The rationing system was a voluntary one and, with the increased taxation* it was problematical whether the scheme could be kept going as at present. 3D 3lansford: At present it costs the Central Relief Committee between £3O and £4O a week to purchase the necesary supplies, but without the donations from residents it would entail an outlay of £lo*9 per week. The chairman: We would have to ascertain the effect before Parliament goes into recess for, if there are any hardships entailed, the position would have to be brought up in Parliament. 3D 3lansford: This centre’s allocation is some £1350 for 1300 unemployed—roughly £1 per week per man. It is insufficient.

3D Hodgens; And so is the £50,000 for the 47,000 unemployed in' the Dominion.