UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21132, 15 March 1932, Page 11

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM.

RELIEF WORKS SCHEME. MOVE FOR CO-ORDINATION. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] CHRISTCHURCH, Monday. A scheme for the co-ordination of relief works by a committee representing all the local bodies in tho Christchurch metropolitan area and for their examination by an expert technical committee of engineers was approved by a conference lipid to-day of members of Parliament and delegates from local bodies and business and professional organisations. The conference was called by the Christchurch branch of the Town-Planning Institute. The duty of tho technical committee will bo to view the metropolitan area without regard to local' boundaries and to prepare a report recommending works suitable for unemployment relief. Tho question of which bodies will undertake tho work recommended will be definitely outside the scope of the technical committee, which will confine itself to the question of whether the works are of economic value to the community. SYSTEM OF PAYMENT. OBJECTION AT ROTORUA. [BY TELEGRAPH. —OWN CORRESPONDENT.] ROTORUA, Monday. At a meeting of the Relief Workers' Association the question of hours of labour was discussed. The chairman, .Mi-. R. Carmichael, said the men objected to being called upon to work five days a week. It was understood that the five day arrangement was only for a limited period at first, but it now seemed that it would become permanent. The rule was in force only in Rotorua, and it was considered unfair.

It was decided to bring the matter before the, Minister in Charge of Unemployment, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and to ask for the reintroduction of the old system of payment for hours worked, and pointing out the unfairness of compelling the men to work tho extra full time.