UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXIX, Issue 21278, 3 September 1932, Page 11

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

POSITION IN HAMILTON A REASSURING REPORT WORKERS' WONDERFUL MORALE [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday A report that the unemployment figures at Hamilton had decreased by 14 per cent in the last month was received from the certifying officer, Mr. F. Wilson, by the Hamilton Unemployment Committee to-day.

Mr. Wilson said the Aroheno married men's camp was full and a number of the men had taken their wives down with them and were accommodating them in t.ents. The "over the fence" scheme was proceeding satisfactorily, and 30 gangs, comprising 201 men, were employed on farms under the Unemployment Board in the Hamilton district. They were engaged on definitely developmental work of reproductive value. Farmers were contributing toward the men's wages and in one case a bank advanced a man money to enablo him to take advantage of the scheme and to add to his'assets. The men generally were engaged on draining, clearing scrub, stumping and other improvement work. At Rukuhia a swamp was being drained and when completed some 700 acres would be made available for settlement.

Mr. E. F. Peacocke congratulated Mr. Wilson on the way he was getting the men out to the farms.

The Mayor, Mr. F. D. Pinfold, said the morale of the unemployed was wonderful and the majority were doing goud work.

FARM LABOUR RELIEF " SCANDALOUS ABUSE " SUSPENSION OF SCHEME [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday The opinion that the 4A unemployment scheme had been abused and that this had led to its suspension was expressed by Mr. F. Wilson, certifying officer, at a meeting of the Hamilton Unemployment Committee to-day. Mr. Wilson raid that To Aroha had 12 4A contracts in operation, while a town half the size of Te Aroha had no fewer than 160 contracts. It was clear that the local committee, in the latter case, had not exercised the supervision required and had granted every application made. Inquiries showed that of the farm labour employed in the locality 80 per cent was subsidised by the Unemployment Board. In future only additional work of a definitely developmental character would be subsidised by the board and no one would receive assistance for labour required to carry on seasonal routine work on farms. Mr. Wilson added that reputable farmers in the district he referred to had informed him that the abuse of the scheme was scandalous. In conclusion, Mr. Wilson said that the scheme was not abused in the Hamilton district, where applications were carefully scrutinised."

BOYS FOE THE LAND SUCCESS OF CITY SCHEME "The only reasonable method of finding occupations (or unemployed boys is to get places for them on the land and in the future interests of the country we should do all in our power to see that the best of our young men are encouraged to take up a farming life." This statement was made yesterday by Mr. N. G. Gribble, chairman of the Auckland Boys' Employment Committee, in speaking of the success mot with by the committee in its efforts to find suitable employment for the unemployed youth of Auckland. Mr. Gribble's remarks were prompted by a statement made by Mr. A. E. Robinson, secretary of the Auckland branch of the New Zealand Farmers' Union, to the effect that in the majority of cases boys were not willing to go very far from the city or their parents pi-eferred to keep them at home, although there were openings for them in the country. Mr. Gribble said that the committee had been responsible for placing over 300 boys on the land and only about 5 per cent of these had failed to stay at the work. The fact that so few had become dissatisfied with the conditions of their employers was due to the type of boy sent, the care taken in the selection of the farmer and the assistance received from Churches and other organisations, as well as private settlers, who watched the interests of the boys in their new surroundings. Under these conditions the boys received every encouragement to settle down to the life of the country.

CONTRACTS ON THE LAND AMENDMENT OF ALLOWANCES [from our own correspondent] HAMILTON, Friday Advice was received from the Unemployment Board by the Hamilton Unemployment Committee to-day that the subsidy for men employed as additional labour on farm development contracts had been amended. Instead of £1 a week being paid to all, married men with no children would receive 15s, and married men with children would receive 15s, plus 2s 6d for each child, the maximum payable being 255. The board wrote stating that the subsidy payable on 4B contracts, bush-fell-ing, scrub-cutting and other development work, had been increased from 33 1-3 per cent to 50 per cent. The letters were received.