WORK OF NATIONAL CHARACTER
SCHEME 13 MEN MUST GO WHERE NEEDED MOST [United Press Association] CHRISTCHURCH, 11th February. “The bulk of the men remaining on scheme 13 are more than 50 years of age, and capable of giving good service, and the Government is calling on them to go to jobs where their services are needed most,” said the Minister of Labour, Mr Webb, when discussing the number of men which could be safely withdrawn from Waimakariri River protection work. Since the outbreak of war, New Zealand’s manpower had been reduced enormously, Mr Webb said. This meant that all men left must be prepared to undertake employment of a national character, and men would now be supplied on jobs where they were needed.
Two hundred vacancies existed in the linen flax industry in the South Island, and it was essential that these should be filled as early as possible., Scheme 13 had not been brought in as a permanent institution, but only as a means of providing work when no other form of employment was available.
“As a result of my experience with employment problems in New Zealand, I am convinced that No. 13 scheme or some similar scheme is needed to provide work for ageing and ailing men, and to act as a reservoir from which supplies of labour for urgent casual jobs can be obtained,” said Mr Webb. “This should be sufficiently mobile to satisfy all labour requirements. HARDSHIP QUESTION “In reducing the present number of men employed under this scheme the Government is not unmindful of the fact that many hardships will arise, but these will be no greater than the hardships that many hundreds of men have had to face in having to travel long distances from their homes in the past. “With the object of reducing hardship to a minimum, men under 50 years of age in classes B and C will be the first called on to fill vacancies in other forms of employment. If sufficient men are not available from these sources, the other classes will be called on till every essential job has been filled. “Every case of real hardship will be investigated.” the Minister said, “but all men employed on scheme 13 must realise that unless they are prepared to do the work that is offering they can no longer remain employed on subsidised work. On the whole, the men have been most reasonable, appreciating the fact that the scheme has given good service in the past, and will continue to do so. providing work specially for aged and sick men.”
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Bibliographic details
Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 February 1941, Page 10
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430WORK OF NATIONAL CHARACTER Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXXIII, 12 February 1941, Page 10
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