WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVIII, Issue 20965, 31 August 1931, Page 11

WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED.

CAMPS IN BACKBLOCKS. SINGLE MEN TO BE PLACED. "DEVELOPMENTAL CHARACTER." IMMEDIATE START PROPOSED. [BT TELEGRAPH. —OWN rOTtRESrONtIENT.] WELLINGTON. Saturday. The establishment of bnckblock land development, camps for single men, as part of the policy of the new Unemployment Board was announced by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. CI. Smith, today.

Mr. Smith said (he new board had examined a financial statement on the Unemployment Fund at its first meeting. The statement revealed that the fund had been overdrawn to the extent of £224,000. It was unanimously agreed by members that as a general policy the board would work in the direction of diverting the present expenditure on unemployment relief into more, productive channels, which it, deemed absolutely essential if the country's financial position was to bo improved. . "Local bodies throughout the Dominion." continued Mr. Smith, "are complaining of the expenditure they have to incur to maintain the great bulk of the unemployed. With a view to remedying this difficulty, and at once improving the position from the policy viewpoint, and in the interests of the unemployed worker himself, the board is proposing to establish camps for single men, where they will do work of a developmental character, be provided with good food and shelter, and be able to earn a certain amount of pocket-money. This scheme is to be tested out on secondary highway backblock roads, and 011 land development. "A preliminary tost will bo carried out under the supervision of the Public Works Department. It is anticipated that about 1000 men will be placed in tins way immediately, and should the scheme prove satisfactory then all single unemployed workers may ultimately be drafted into this typo of work. "It is the board's policy to co-operate with the various State Departments, and conferences have been arranged with the Main Highways Board, the Public Works, Lands and Native Departments, and the State Forest Service and others. Several big schemes for land development are under consideration, in addition to negotiations taking place with a view to stimulating certain more or less primary industries that have been stopped as the direct result of the trade depression. "In short," concluded the Minister, "the board is anxious to reduce at an early date tho colossal expenditure going on under scheme No. 5, much of which is of an unproductive character and of little community value."

WOMEN OUT Or WORK. AUCKLAND ORGANISATION. In view of the assurance given by the Minister of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, that the Auckland Women's Emergency Committee would be the recognised Auckland organisation for dealing with unemployment among women under the amended legislation, a meeting of the committee is to bo held on Wednesday to pass a formal resolution accepting the responsibilities involved. The committee has found positions for "a number of women and girls through the registry which it conducts in Tabernacle Buildings, Karangahape Road. However, it cannot extend its activities without help from the Unemployment Fund. This, it is hoped, will be forthcoming later.

DISTRESS AT WHANGAREI. CASH AND CLOTHES "DRIVE." [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] WHANGAREI, Saturday. The commercial travellers in Whangarei held a cash and clothes "drive" to-day on behalf of the unemployed. A good collection of clothing was received at Rugby Park. A burlesque football match was played prior to the usual fixture. At its conclusion a collection was taken up. It is estimated that the amount to be handed to the committee will bo about £2O.