UNEMPLOYED CONTROL.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20819, 11 March 1931, Page 13

UNEMPLOYED CONTROL.

AUCKLAND COMMITTEE.

CONSENT TO CARRY ON.

CONDITIONS IMPOSED. SECRETARY AND EXPENSES. The Auckland Unemployment Committee, which recently resigned, agreed, at the request of a conference of local authorities and other interested organisations yesterday, to carry on its duties under certain conditions.

The conference, which received a copy of the rules governing the operations of local committees, devoted considerable time to the airing of grievances against the Unemployment Board, two members of which, Mr. G. Finn and Mr. O. Mc-

Brine, were present. The Mayor, Mr. G. Baihlon, presided. Mr. Finn staled, at the outset, that the resignation of the committee placed Auckland in the position of being the only place of any size in the Dominion without adequate organisation for administering the Unemployment Board's schemes. "Wo appreciate the work the former committee did," he said, " but unfortunately it did not function very satisfactorily, whether due to its own fault or to ours I am not prepared to say." Mr. E. H. Potter, Mayor of Mount Eden, said that, the local bodies were themselves able to carry out the board's schemes without a special committee. Existence of Abuses. Mr. Mcßrine said the board could only delegate advisory powers to the committee; it could not delegate executive powers. The significant thing about the Unemployment Act was that it was administered voluntarily at very little expense. The only alternative was the appointment of a large staff of inspectors and officials drawing their salaries from a Government department. It was no use hiding the fact that No. 5 scheme, for instance, was probably being exploited ruthlessly in certain directions, owing to lack of supervision in its operation, but the appointment of an unwieldy and expensive army of officials to examine each case was not the best way of dealing with the problem. Mr. L. E. Rhodes, Mayor of Mount Albert: But according to these rules the committee itseli; will not have the power to deal with abuses. Our hands will be absolutely tied.

Mr. Mcßrine: If necessary, tha Unemployment Board can give instructions for legal action to be taken. If you have departmental officers doing the work you will not get (he spontaneous goodwill that you receive through voluntary co-operation. Everyone will say, "It is the inspector's job to detect abuses. Let him do it."

Mr. E. Morton, Onehunga, said they had much to thank the old committee for. He believed, however, the local bodies were quite capable of carrving out the Unemployment Board's schemes without the intervention of any committee.

The chairman said it was a great pity the committee: could no see its way to function. " Government Sheltering." Sir George Richardson, who was chairman of the committee that resigned, said the Unemployment Board had failed to support any of the schemes suggested by the committee for dealing with unemployment in Auckland. Hundreds of men, for instance, were to be seen waiting outside the Labour Bureau when in reach of their hands were millions of bricks waiting to be removed from the old station site, but when he pointed this out to. the Unemployment Board all he received was an instruction not to send such lengthy telegrams. It has been brought to my notice that there are abuses in connection with the board s schemes," said Sir George, "but we have no one to send out and investigate such cases. Instead, the Government wishes to shelter behind the committees, for their duty is 'to take all possible steps to see that no abuses of the board's schemes are perpetrated and immediately to investigate any suspicious circumstances and, where justification appears to exist, to report the same to the board at once.* We are told a permanent secretary, who would be available for such work, will not be allowed. I tell you a secretary is absolutely necessary. Expense of a Secretary. Mr. Finn suggested that the local bodies themselves could provide a secretary's salary. The cost would be from £2OO to £3OO a. year and if the City Council gave £IOO and the other local bodies and institutions £lO a year, a sum of approximately £560 would be obtained. The Chairman: The £IOO does not worry me; it is the principle of the thing. Mr. Mcßrine: There are 120 local committees in the Dominion and no question of this kind has ever arisen before. "I have been here an hour and I have heard nothing but quibble," declared Mr. F. W. Grey, Otahuhu. "I cannot stay any longer. In Otahuhu we have placed every single man in employment for mile;; around, and we are now taking 100 men from the city. Wo are also paying the salary of an unemployment secretary engaged from (he ranks of the unemployed. I fail to see the necessity for this committee. Committee's Conditions. In reply, Sir George Richardson said that although all the other members of his committee were not present he felt he could convey their consent to carry oil "subject to the committee being allowed a permanent secretary arid reasonable expenses (oca -ry out administration on behalf of the unemployed; also provided the Unemployment Board supports the local committee in its recommendations and efforts (o solve the local problem." A motion was carried expressing the thanks of the conference to the committee and confidence in its work. Mr. A. Milliken, Ellerslie, moved that a condition under which the committee should retain office be that the expenses incurred be paid by the Unemploymerit Board. Mr. Finn and Mr. Mcßrine urged that the amendment be dropped. "If we pay the expenses of the Auckland committee we will find ourselves having to pay expenses elsewhere and before we know where we are we shall have a huge staff of officials," said Mr. Mcßrine. The motion was carried by seven votes to five, a number not voting. POSITION IN WAIKATO. WORK FOR ABOUT 300 MEN. [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.] HAMILTON, Tuesday, A total of about 260 men have been given work under the Unemployment. Board's No. 5 scheme by the Hamilton Borough Ccnucil, the Waiknto and Waipn County Ccnucils, the Railways Department and various drainage boards in the district. The unemployed position has been further relieved by the placing of 33 men on farms under the No* 4a scheme*