BACK TO WORK

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 1 September 1934, Page 2

BACK TO WORK

FULL TIME AND WAGES UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD’S AIM DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN AT •" BLENHEIM Owing to the shortness of the notice only a limited number of local body representatives —members and officials — were present at the Blenheim Municipal Chambers to meet Air W. Bromley, the deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board, who is making an official visit to Marlborough (says the “Express”). However, an interesting and useful two hours passed in more or less informal discussion of various aspects of the relief work problem in this district. It was clearly apparent that those present appreciated tiie opportunity -of hearing the visitor’s explanations on a' variety of points of local and national importance in connection with unemployment, Air Bromley’s complete grip of his subject- being very impressive. His Worship the Mayor (Mr M. McKenzie), who presided, . cordially welcomed Mr Bromley, assuring him that the local bodies of Marlborough, at any rate, appreciated the work of th e Unemployment Board In complimenting the visitor upon his appointment as deputychairman of the Board, the Mayor remarked that he had known Air Bromley for some time and felt sure that he was the right man in the right place. It was a. long time since he had been to Blenheim, and it was hoped that much good would come out of his visit. (Applause.) SEEKING INFORAIATION In appreciatively acknowledging the reception, Mr Bromley declared that he was not here to make speeches about what the Board was doing and proposed to do. “I am simply wanting to find out how the unemployment schemes are working here —scheme 5, in particular,” he explained. “.Scheme sis the scheme that is giving the Boar'* most worry at the present time. It is contested in Parliament regularly—and not without some truth, no doubtrthat just so long as this free labour is available so long will we unable to get out of our difficulties. It is sometimes contested unfairly, at least I lia\c heard the general statement made, that local bodies arc ‘sponging on the Unemployment Fund. What that critic failed to lealise is that the local bodies are helping us to solve a problem, even if they are getting some return, and only anxietv is to ensure that theie is a nroiier balance in the matter. Any local body using relief labour Jo carry out maintenance work that it. oug t do out of ordinary funds is however, creating difficulties and not helping us, because it is tending to continue the system for all time.”

STANDARD TIME AND PAY Air Bromley stated that the Board was willing to assist any local body, as it was the Blenheim Borough Council, to do a work that it- would not carry out under ordinary conditions, but it was anxious to see the unemployed back at work as soon as possible under industrial conditions. “It is pleasing to know that approximately 46 per cent of the registered unemployed, or those _ who are getting assistance from the Fund, are working full time under ordinary standard fulltime tions,” the speaker proceeded. We would rather sometimes give moie out of the fund provided we can get men back again to normal working conditions, for that is the on y thing that is going to help the business community and the . country. There is quite an enthusiastic move in some parts for this at the present time. _ „ “In the larger cities, of course. Air Bromley explained, “we have had to resort to sustenance payments without work as an alternative to maintenance work. We are doinor that because we think it the best way out of it. So w© are striving to get full time on the one hand if possible, and sustenance rather than maintenance work on the other hand; but. if we could get them all on full time work at something like standard wages with the assistance we can give out of the Fund tjiat would be the best course to adopt.” LOCAL BODIES’ DUTY Alost of the men here were engaged oil a fairly large undertaking by the Borough Council, which was costing the Council, along with the Board, a lot of money, the speaker continued. This ivas the type of job the Board was glad to see put in hand. “Wliat I am anxious to hear from you is how you view the thing down here,” Mr Bromley added; “whether you are collecting the same views about the matter as we are; whether you are of the opinion that the local bodies, in some instances, have rather got into the habit of free labour instead of getting the habit of trying to abolish scheme 5 at the earliest possible moment.” After explaining that, as he had not gone into the local position lately, his remarks should not be taken as directed against any local body represented there. Air Bromley proceeded: “Just in general terms, I may say that I find it is necessary all the time to keep inpreSsing upon the local bodies where their duty lies.” He recalled going to a certain city where he found two bridges being painted. He thought it -was' a fine thing for the local body to be finding work for tradesmen like that until he discovered that they were relief workers on their ordinary allocations and relief rates of pay. That was very soon stopped, and, as a result of a compromise, the Board and city council subsidised the job to have it carried out as a full time, standard wage affair. From this point, Mr Bromley encouraged a round table discussion on a variety of matters touching unemployman.