NEW RELIEF PAY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIII, Issue 22434, 2 June 1936, Page 10

NEW RELIEF PAY

HIGHER RATES START

SUBSTANTIAL INCREASES THE - SUSTENANCE SCALE CONCESSION TO LOCAL BODIES The new rates for relief work and sustenance, came into operation yesterday. Under the scale of pay for reliet work single men will receive an increase of 4s a week on a 10i-hour week, and married men will receive from lis 6d a week extra for a 19£-hour week 19s Gd a week extra for a 331-hour week, according to their classification. The new rates are based on 2s an hour for tho time worked. Single men on sustenance will receive an increase of 3s a week and married men will receive increases ranging from 5s to 13s a week according to their classification. Tho old and the new weekly rates payable to relief workers and sustenance men are as follows: —

RELIEF KATES Old rate New rate , 17/- 21/Single men .. •• y 1 ". Married men with wife only 27/- • Married with 1 child.. •• Married with 2 chi dren .. 35/- 4b/b Married with 3 chi dren .. 39/- 60/b Married with 4 children .. 41 /- Married with 5 children .. 4J/- Mi<o Married with 6 children .. 45/- » Married with 7or more children 47/- • bb/b

SUSTENANCE RATES Old rate New :rate Single men .. • • • • }\[" ]JJf Married men with wife only 24/Married with 1 child • - Married with 2 chi dren .. 32/- dj/Married with 3 chi dren .. 30/- 41/Married with 4 children .. 38/- 4 a/Married with 5 chi dren .. 40/- i llMarried with 6 children .. 4U- 53/Married with 7or more children 44/- oilSupplementing Wages

When the now scale for relief workers was announced about two weeks ago an appeal was made to all employing authorities to provide workers employed under Scheme No. 5 with additional assistance from their own funds, sufficient to enable all men to be given employment to the nearest half-uay above the actual time factor covered by the new scale. This would have averaged about 3s 6d a man a week. In a circular received yesterday by employing authorities from the employment branch of the Labour Department it was stated that it had been found that some certifying officers had construed that appeal as meaning that it was to be a condition precedent to the supplying of relief labour under the No. 5 scheme that local bodies must provide that extra assistance, as otherwise they would not be supplied with any relief labour at all. The Position Defined " That is definitely not the catse," states the circular. " While it is the earnest wish of the Government that all local employing authorities should supplement the of workers up to the nearest half-day above, they are not compelled to do so, as it is realised that in some cases their financial resources are such as preclude their meet'ing the extra amounts from their own funds.

" Thus local employing authorities are permitted to omplqy relief labour under Scheme No. 5 to the extent that the Scheme No. 5 relief scale permits until such time as the position can be reviewed by an officer of the department. For example, a single man eligible to receive 21s a week may be employed for 101 hours a week only if the employing authority is unable t-o afford extra work and pay."

EMPLOYMENT AT MANUREWA THE TOWN BOARD'S DECISION A decision to employ all eligible men on the revised No. 5 scheme was reached last night by the Manurewa Town Board. A deputation representing men on sustenance stated they had no desire to draw money without working. "We wish to share in the new rates of pay." stated one of the men. Mr. J. H. Edwards, a member of the board, said he approved of the suggestion that all men bo given employment. Mr. E. S. Pegler said the board had plenty of work in view and it would oe in the interests of the board and the men to employ all men seeking work. The chairman. Mr. W. J. Ferguson, said the board should limit any ments for a period of throe months when the position would be reviewed. This course was agreed to.