WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED

New Zealand Herald, Volume LVIII, Issue 17794, 30 May 1921, Page 8

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED

GOVERNMENT'S PROVISION.

WAGES OFFER EXPLAINED.

HELP FOR THE PENNILESS.

A statement of the Government's attitude in regard to ■unemployment has been made by the Minister for Labour, the Hon, G. J. Anderson.

Referring to the protests by some Labour members at the rate of pay offered on relief works, Mr. Anderson said : —lt was absurd to expect that work done on relief works should be paid for at ordinary rates of wages. The relief works were not established with the object of offering permanent employment, but were of a different grade altogether from ordinary public works. No attempt had been made to reduce wages on ordinary public works. Relief works were only temporary, to tide over a difficulty, and the sooner men could get other employment the better. The wage offered was the highest that could be offered for that particular purpose. It was recognised that many of the men who were to be employed would be taking on a new occupation, and it could not be expected that they would be worth as much as in the occupation they had followed previously. At the same time, sufficient was offered to keep the men and their families from want.

Tha Minister added that the relief works were not on the same footing as ordinary public works. The men were being given the jobs to prevent hardship, but they were not being invited to take them. The works were useful and the State was going to get value for the money spent, but the works would not be undertaken at the present time if unemployment did not exist.

Conditions in Auckland. Mr. Anderson mentioned that the official returns indicated that there was more unemployment in Auckland than in other parts of the Dominion. There was a certain amount in Southland and Otago, but nothing to compare with that in the North. It was reported that the unemployment was principally among men who nad been attracted to the North and were now returning. The Government was placing the men as speedily as possible, but it could not provide for all at once, as it did not "desire to send, them out into the country with nothing but a blanket. The Government was not putting off any of its employees now, and it was the duty of employers and local bodies to assist as much as they could in retaining their hands and in providing work for others.

System of Registration. It had been arranged that unemployed •workers should register at the various bureaux of the Labour Department, or with the representatives of the Department in districts where bureaux were not established.* Unemployed soldiers were to register with the various representatives- of the Repatriation Department throughout the country. The officers of the Labour and Repatriation Departments then reported to the Public Works Department the number of cases of those fitted for heavy manual labour and those unsuitable for that class of employment. The Public Works Department took charge of the men, and as quickly as possible had them placed upon works specially set apart for the purpose of relieving unemployment. The most necessitous cases were being dealt with first. Married returned soldiers, married civilians, unmarried soldiers and unmarried civilians with dependants were being given preference ; ,single returned soldiers and civilians ■without dependants came next. He did not wish it to be understood that men ■who had saved money should be treated as unemployed. Relief works were intended primarily for those who were practically penniless. Mr. Anderson, said he trusted that anyone who was in a position 'to employ labour would do so. The Government was now retaining in employment all the hands it possibly could, and he hoped the community generally would foDow that lead. He felt certain that within a very few months the prospects of our primary products would bijghten, and that the employment market would resume its normal state. In the meantime it was the duty of local bodies and private employers to assist in tiding over the temporary difficulties.

POSITION IN AUCKLAND.

52 MEN PLACED DURING WEEK. Work for 52 unemployed men was provided last week through the agency of the Auckland Government Labour Bureau. Forty-six were sent to the Public Works Department's road-making -works at Putaruru and Thames, and the remainder were placed in private employment. Seven or eight further additions to the roll of unemployed at the Trades Hall were received on Saturday.