UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21717, 5 February 1934, Page 10

UNEMPLOYED PROBLEM

WHANGAREI RELIEF WORKS BUSINESS MEN'S INTEREST [from our own correspondent] WHANGAREI, Saturday The withdrawal of unemployed labour from the Whangarei Borough by the Unemployment Board caused considerable discussion at a meeting of the Whangarei Chamber of Commerce last evening. Mr. J. G. Barclay, a member of the Borough Council, in outlining the position, stated that some months ago all relief workers employed within the borough were diverted to works outside the borough, chiefly to harbour reclamation works. There were, he stated, approximately 300 men residing within the borough who were on relief work, and he strongly contended that a reasonable number of these men should be employed on works within the borough. Whangarei residents, he said, contributed at least £24,000 annually in unemployment taxation, and he considered that most of this should be spent on approved work within the borough. Mr. A. J. Murdoch, M.P., reviewed the result of the visit of the Mayor, Mr. W. Jones, to Wellington to interview the Minister of Employment and the Unemployment Board on the matter. "The chairman of the Unemployment Board," said Mr. Murdoch, "insists that the relief men should be employed on developmental works. The reclamation work at Kioreroa and other parts of the Whangarei Harbour is considered by Mr. .T. S. Jessep, deputychairman of the board, to be more important than the western outlet road. The construction of an access road from W T hangarei to Kioreroa is a part of the harbour reclamation scheme."

Mr. Murdoch stated further that the need of providing fire-breaks to preserve the plantation reserve was recognised by the board, and an officer from the Labour Office, Auckland, visited Whangarei to confer with the Mayor in tho matter. The board was prepared to provide 10 to 14 men for this work.

| Mr. Murdoch added that, in his opinion, a number of the men would be diverted to the borough during the winI ter months, the board recognising that J constructing concrete footpaths and the western outlet road were good works 011 which to employ tho men during the winter when the reclamation work was not so suitable. It was decided that the chamber should approach the Mayor, asking if he desired its assistance in approaching the Prime Minister on the srjiject. PROTEST AT HAWERA OBJECTION TO. ALLOCATIONS [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] HAWERA. Saturday A meeting of citizens convened to organise a week's carnival to raise funds for the relief of unemployment distress last evening recommended that the local committee should take steps to organise a Dominion-wide protest against the discrimination between the smaller towns and the cities in the board's allocations.