AUSTRALIAN UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20560, 10 May 1930, Page 13

AUSTRALIAN UNEMPLOYED.

QUEENSLAND RELIEF. WORKS.

MEN ACCEPT £2 10s A WEEK.

The Queensland Ministry's plans for the relief of unemployment wero put into operation on April 28, when more than 1000 men either began work or were preparing to begin it. The Minister of Labour, Mr. Sizer, said that 1196 men had begun work, or would bo working during the day, and ho expected that by the end of the week between 2000 and 3000 men would be employed. The allocation of jobs was being made as quickly as possible. Six hundred of the men already at work were engaged on operations included in the Brisbane City Council's programme. Within a few weeks more than 200 men would be employed on works arranged by the Land Administration Board, mainly on preparatory work for roads, which would later bo built to give access to lands it was intended to open for closer settlement. It was also expected that programmes prepared by the Railways Department and the Forestry Department would shortly provide work for several hundred men throughout the State. All the work to be done was developmental. Referring to a resolution of the combined unions that the unemployed should do only work equivalent to the amount of pay they received Mr. Sizer said that if the men "sabotaged" their jobs at the request of Trades Hall officials they would court dismissal. He did not for a moment believe that men accepting the work would take any notice of the advice of the officials. The wages being paid amounted to £2 10s a week of 44 hours, with 10s a week more for married men. Single and married men were not being employed on the same jobs. Money for the relief works would be obtained by a lax on the earnings of nil individuals, not on business or industrial undertakings, but the rate hod not yet been fixed, pending an actuarial investigation. In the meantime £IOO,OOO was being advanced from loan account.