WINTER RELIEF PLAN

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23034, 11 May 1938, Page 19

WINTER RELIEF PLAN

Sir, —With reference to the nnnouncement in your issue of May 4, to the effect that the Government has made arrangements whereby every eligible unemployed married man will be placed in full-time employment at standard rates of pay for the whole of the winter period, it would seem that Mr. Armstrong has once again forgotten the single men. While the Government is to be commended for its action in providing work for the married men, one cannot help but wonder why it is that the single men are consistently forgotten whenever employment schemes are formulated by the Minister of Labour. The "four months" scheme was a case in point, and now under the new scheme the single men are to be again the victims of Mr. Armstrong's discrimination. Apart from the glaring injustice of this policy, the differentiation between the two' classes of unemployed has caused a deep feeling of resentment and hopelessness among single men; they feel that they are entitled to work as well as the other chaps. They are expected to pay board, buy clothes, etc.. on £1 a week. The position of the single men. viewed in the light of experience, is a picture of life's other side, which Mr. Armstrong caitnot or will not see in its true perspective. As to the statement that unemployment is back to normal, that there has never at any time! been fewer than 10 000 persons unemployed in New Zealand. I should liko to*know by what process of reasoning Mr. Armstrong arrived at this conclusion. Now then! Frank C. Bkardon.