UNEMPLOYMENT FUND

Northern Advocate, 15 December 1932, Page 7

UNEMPLOYMENT FUND

! STATEMENT WANTED. SURPLUS NOW A SHORTAGE. (Special to "Nortnern Advocate.”) AUCKLAND, This Day. “1 almost anticipated such a reply," said the Mayor of Devonport, Air H. F. W. Meikle, last evening, when the Minister of Employment, the Hon. A. Hamilton, in reply to the council's protest against the reduction of relief •workers’ allocations of work and wages, .wrote stating that the reduction was necessary because of the Jack of money at the disposal of the Unemployment Board. ‘‘We have had piecemeal statements respecting the fund," said the Mayor, ‘‘lint never a comprehensive statement. We should get a statement showing the amount of money expended on each particular scheme and just where the money went. I think that a lot of the money has been spent in directions to which the general public would take exception. At present it is impossible to say what Scheme 4 or Scheme o or any of the schemes is costing the board. ‘‘T am strongly against the reduction of 1U per cent.", added the Mayor. "We can see the result of it in the go-slow and general discontent among the relief workers. We have been told by the Minister that the boarl has money, but we were told some time ago that the board had a surplus. Now the surplus is a shortage. "How can we expect to get good work .from men not properly, fed ” asked the Mayor. "I know many men on relict work who ■were in good positions, and they require good solid nutriment to keep np their strength. With them it. is more necessary than with the hardened, experienced navvy." It was decided to inform the Minister, that, in the opinion of the council, the Government should submit a comprehensive .statement showing the receipts and expenditure in connection with each and all of the various relief schemes administered out of the Unemployment Fund.

POSITION TO BE SET OUT. ASSURANCE OF MINISTER. TAX NOT MEETING- EXPENSES. (Special to “Northern Advocate.’’) WELLINGTON, This Day. The acting-Minister of Employment, the Hou. A. Hamilton, in answer, to resolutions passed at a meeting in the Auckland Town Hall on Sunday afternoon regarding the serious unemployment situation, Intends to set out the position fully from the viewpoint of the Unemployment Fund. "As evidence that the board is straining every nerve to assist,’ ’ added Air Hamilton, "I may state that our weekly allocations for relief work are above our average weekly income from the wages tax.”-