RELIEF WORKERS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXI, 20 November 1937, Page 10

RELIEF WORKERS

HOLIDAYS AND CHRISTMAS BONUS STATEMENT BY LABOUR MINISTER I lljr Telegraph— Brens Association) WELLINGTON, This Day. Arrangements which have been authorised in connection with the granting of Christmas and New Year holidays and the payment of a Christmas bonus to relief workers were announced last evening by the Minister of Labour, Hon. H. T. Armstrong. The bonus will be on the same basis as last year. “Following the practice in past years,” said the Minister, “two weeks’ holiday will be granted to all workers employed under Scheme 5 and to gold prospectors subsidised by the Labour Department. The holidays will be granted in the two weeks ending Ist and Bth January, 1988, but to enable employing authorities to pay the wages due for the week ending 25th December, 1937, prior to the holidays, all Scheme 5 works will be closed down on Wednesday, 22nd December, and any men who would normally report for work on Thursday or Friday, 23rd and 24th December, will be paid for those days.

“With regard to those men employed under Scheme 13 on the special rotational full-time works, the works will be closed down during the two weeks 1 ending Ist and Bth January, and the j men will be paid at the sustenance I rates applicable to their respective clas- ' sif "atior ■. These men will also receive the special Christmas bonus and their period of full-time employment will be extended for two weeks, so that the holidays will not be treated as part of the approved period of employment under this scheme. “In the case of workers employed j full time on subsidised works other j than those approved under the special rotational full-time employment scheme the usual practice will be followed, the approved subsidy from the Employment Promotion Fund being paid in respect of any holidays granted, provided the employing authority meets its proportion of the wages cost. , “The Christmas bonus will be on the same basis as last year, namely, £2 for married men and £1 for single men. The conditions of eligibility have not yet been determined, but these are at ! present under consideration, and a further statement will be issued.

‘‘Transport concessions similar to (hose made available in past years will be granted to workers employed in the Paraparaumu camp and to those employed under the gold prospecting scheme.”