CLOSED RELIEF WORKS.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21098, 4 February 1932, Page 13

CLOSED RELIEF WORKS.

UO SUSTENANCE PAYMENTS. >*'

IoBS 'AWAY FROM THE CITY.

plans being considered

'w payment of sustenance to unem- ~ %eA ® en aff/c, ' trcl l>y <he °" n Tl ' Ce S Borough '.Council's decision not to i«, anv more workers under the No. rst. - ™„" •tmehter, officer in charge of the Labour Lrtment in Auckland, yesterday, by deputation headed by Mr. I. J. Gold- ' • -Mayor of One Tree Hill. The other numbers of the deputation, which was i], e outcome of a meeting of unemployed addressed bv Mr. C.uldstine the pre Jjous day. wprc ss,s - U ' Mulhol- - and Mandoiin, members of the Jtoriufth Council, two representative* of Z men, and Mr. W. J. Jordan, M P. {or Manukwi. J[r Slaughter sn >'' "'o council's allojliion would be available only to pay for vo rk done, and not for sustenance grants. telegram urging the payment of sustenance was scnf by' Mr. Jordan to the Minister in charge of Unemployment, the st. Hon. J. G. Coates. Afr. GoJldstine said it. was impossible for his council to continue the reliof trorks in the district, with the result that 200 men were "on the verge of starvation." They had applied to the Labour J)epartment, but were told there was 50 work for them. In reply to a question by Mr. floldftinfpMr. Slaughter said that at present there was no means of relief other than the No. 5 scheme. He indicated, however, that plans for work for a large ,number of men awav from the city were being considered.

A similar deputation of members of the Jlount Roskill Rond Board, accompanied by Mr. Jordan and Mr. A. S.v Richards, Jf.P. for Roskill. was later received by Mr. Slaughter. Mr. Slaughter expressed regret that the board had found >t. necesgary to restrict relief in the district to ratepayers and residents and outlined steps being taken to provide non-resident men with work. He said arrangements had been made for the absorption by the City Council of about 300 of the men concerned and there was . prospect of work, in the country for at least another 200 men .within a few. weeks. Numbers of the unemployed men who bad congregated outside the Labour Department's offices were afterwards addressed by Mr. Jordan, who was subjected to a certain amount of heckling. He said he was in favour of the payment of sustenance and gave an assurance that he would renew his representations to the Government in the matter.

SETTLEMENT ON THE LAND,

DISAPPROVAL OF PROPOSAL.

[from our own correspondent.]

HAMILTON, Wednesday.

Disapproval of the Hamilton proposal to settle relief workers on the land was expressed at a meeting of the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce last evening.

The following resolution was carried: — "TV.*. until, such time as the economic reachine is'allowed to function freely such schemes of group settlement are, in the opinion of this chamber, no solution, and, further, we consider that all unoccupied lands in the Dominion should be offered for sale to the highest bidder."