UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21232, 12 July 1932, Page 11

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF.

DISTRESS IN HAMILTON.-

ANOTHER "OFF WEEK."

IMMEDIATE ACTION REQUESTED.

[FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. ]

HAMILTON", Monday.

Concern at the hardship caused among the 500 unemployed relief workers and their families locally as the result of an announcement that no work of any kind will be available this week is felt ia Hamilton. It is stated that many families will be penniless until Saturday week, as the wages received for last week's work were in many cases barely sufficient to pay for rent and food. Complaint is made of the fact that, although it is now over six weeks since full-time relief work was granted in tho cities, the Unemployment Board has made no apparent effort to place Hamilton on the same basis. As there is little employment offering in the country at present, the men are obliged to stay in the town.

The Mayor, Dr. F. D. Pinfold, said to-day that a telegram was sent to th» Unemployment Board this morning asking for immediate relief this week. "We are very dissatisfied with the position," added Dr. Pinfold. "Although the Government has promised the hospital boards that they will not be called upon to provide , v assistance, and that the Unemployment Board would assume responsibility for the 'off week,' no allocation has been made this week. The local unemployment committee- is entirely without funds to meet this week's demands. We have had so many contradictory letters from the Unemployment Board that we do not know where we are." The secretary of the Waikato Hospital Board, Mr. E. G. Johnson, said the Gov- . ernment had informed the board that it would be relieved of all responsibility at •' the end of last month. Under these cir- » cumstances, it would be illegal for tha . board to offer relief. "Because the Unemployment Board has not tackled its job we cannot help that," he added. "If we did anything to help we would probably be brought to book by the Government in the same way as the Auckland Board was."

MOUNT ROSKILL ASSISTANCE. WORK OF ASSOCIATION. A meeting of the executive committee of the Mount Roskill Welfare! Association was held recently. A relief depot ha 3 been opened in Three Kings Road under the charge of a committee of men and women, who have established a sewing--committee and a relief" in aid of the unemployed and needy in |ha Mount Roskill district. A committee has also been set up to obtain funds. A subscription list has been opened at the Road Board office.

MEN FOE FOEESTEY WOEK.

ROTORUA AND NELSON CAMPS. [by telegraph.—psess association.] , WELLINGTON, Monday.. It was announced by officials of the Buckle Street Labour Bureau to-day that 24 men were leaving to-day for a forestry camp at Rotorua. There were still 40 vacancies for single men at this camp. Last week it was stated that there was urgent forestry work to be done in the Rotorua district and for that reason 50 single men were required. Twenty-five men were sent on Friday, but in the meantime it was decided to raise the number required to 100. To-day 15 mfen are to leave Wellington for forestry camps in the Nelson district. At Paraparaumu, a camp which will accommodate 75 returned soldiers is now being prepared. A site has been decided and the work is well in hand. The men are to be employed on a river diversion scheme.

WORK IN SPARE TIME.

NO PENALTY BY BOARD. [by telegraph.—peess association.] CHKISTCHURCH, Monday. Unemployed men who obtain casual work in their spare time while employed under No. 5 scheme are not penalised by the Unemployment Board, according to Mr. R. T. Bailey, officer in charge of the Labour Department in Christchurch. He stated at a meeting of the Citizens' Unemployment Relief Committee to-day that men were made to stand down, not for accepting casual work, but for not being honest with the department concerning the amount they were earning. Mr. Bailey said the boards'; had laid it down that money provided under. No. 5 scheme was not for wages, but for relief. The board sought to encourage men to look for work. •