WORK ON RELIEF

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21560, 3 August 1933, Page 11

WORK ON RELIEF

IMPROVING EFFORTS AT HAMILTON PENALTIES FOR LAXITY [from'OUß OWN correspondent] HAMILTON. Wednesday Efforts to iinprovo tho efficiency of the relief workers are being made by tho Hamilton Borough Council, and a notice signed by the borough engineer, Mr. 11. Worley, has been posted at the borough depot drawing the attention of all relief workers and gangers to tho laxity which until recently had steadily developed among the f relief gangs working in the borough. Instructions aro issued to tho gangers to seo that every man under them does a fair day's work. In determining what is. a fair day's work, tho ganger is directed to take into due consideration tho physical fitness of each man and any disabilities which may bo hampering him. Every case, said Mr. Worloy, must be taken on its merits, and what may represent a poor day's work for one man may in reality be the very best that another can do. The gangers are directed to ascertain the individual characteristics of each man and place each one to the best advantage. Provision of "Black List" Tho notice states that if any man persists in not doing a fair thing after he has had at least one warning, the ganger shall mark on tho time sheet "black list" at the termination of the week's work, and adviso the man accordingly. Tho notice continues: —"Every man black-listed will be drafted into a special gang, which will be under special supervision, and should he still persist in loafing he will be stood down for two working weeks. "If any ganger has one or more men whoso working capabilities, even though the best is being given, are so much below the capabilities of tho remainder of the gang that the efficiency of the gang is being impaired, ho is to advise the borough foreman in writing on the back of a Jime sheet, and we will do our best to separate all such men into a separate gang. Consideration lor Health

"During rainstorms the gangers are instructed to allow the men to take shelter. It must be remembered that many of the men do not'enjoy the health of the regular manual labourer, and very often have not the means to dry their clothes properly when they get home. Thus special consideration is to be given and work stopped where a regular gang might well be expected to go on working. "The relief worker at the present time has a bad reputation with the public. He is generally regarded as a loafer, and the feelings of the public are alienated. The main object of these instructions is to rehabilitate the relief worker in the eyes of the public as a man who is doing his best, and the cooperation of every man is looked for. "The borough engineer will meet the gangers at 4 p.m. at the borough depot on the first Wednesday after every off-week, and suggestions are invited from the gangers that may bo helpful in clearing up any anomalies or any suggestions that may tend toward improvements of any nature."

BOOT-REPAIR SCHEME 4» PROPOSAL NOT FAVOURED ABUSE OF SYSTEMS ALLEGED • "Next we will be getting a request for permission for a tailor to make clothes for relief workers," said the Mayor of One Tree Hill, Mr. I. J. Goldstine, at a meeting of the Borough Council last evening, when the One Tree Hill Relief Workers' Association sought the assistance of the council in the matter of boot repairs. The association suggested a boot repairer at present on relief work should bo paid relief wages for his allocation of two and a-half days a week,' and permitted to repair tho boots of relief workers and their families. Tho repairer would be responsible for the materials, and ho would recover the cost in his charges. The application was declined. "Tliis request is in the samo category as tho cheap meat 'scheme, against which this council set its face," said Mr. Goldstine, "and is another concrete example of what the system is leading to." He said he had definite knowledge of a man getting 201b. of cheap mutton from the Labour Department and distributing it to his neighbours, most of whom were not relief workers. Mr. J. J. Boyco said similar laxity existed at tho principal boot-repairing depot, where anybody, not only relief workers, could- have footwear repaired at ridiculously low prices, thus forcing tradesmen out of business. Tho samo applied to hair-cutting. Appreciation of tho council's stand against the scheme for cheap meat for relief workers was expressed in a letter received from the Auckland Master Butchers' Association.