LOAN OF £12,000

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 11305, 2 September 1922, Page 5

LOAN OF £12,000

FOR UNEMPLOYEB RELIEF NEW SCHEDULE OF WORKS ADOPTED BY COUNCIL. TO COMMENCE NEXT "WEEK. The raising of a special relief loan to tide the unemployed over a few more weeks was discussed at an extraordinary meeting of the City Council yesterday afternoon. A special meeting of the finance committee was held during the morning, when a ropo"rt was prepared for presentation ro the council. The proceedings were conducted in committee, ibut the council’s decision was later communicated to the Press. The council had previously under c®ni;ideration the raising of a loan ot £IO,OOO, but it was decided to increase this amount by £2OOO, making a total of £12,000. This is to be expended under various heads as follows : (a) Reading of Honiebush estate, Khandallah (recently purchased by the council for settlement purposes), £7OOO. •(b) Widening Alexandra road, £6OO. This amount provides for the completion of the road over Mt. Victoria from Constable street, a portion of which is not of sufficient width. (c) Improvement of Grafton road, £1260. (d) Improvements to Mills road (from Vogeltown to Mornington) and Vennell street (Brooklyn), £SOO. (e) Repairs to and widening of Halswell road, £1250. Halswell road skirts the waterfront around the Defence Department reserve, and is controlled by the department. It has been in disrepair for some time, Bud is considered unsafe for traffic. (f) Construction of a road through the Crawford estate (Lyall Bay). £ISOO. This work is dependent upon a £ iot £ Bubsidy from the owners. The road will be constructed from Broadway to Lyall Bay, and will probably connect ultimately with the proposed road to Breaker Bay. Another available work' is the improvement of the refervo at Brooklyn, but no money was able to be allocated for the purpose. - , The Grafton road ; relief work will be commenced on Monday next, and a start will probably be made on Wednesday on the Homebush estate. When all the works are under way it is expected that roughly-400 men will he absorbed and kept in employment for SI number of Weeks. The men are to work only five days a week, the Saturday being left free to afford them an opportunity of securing jobs elsewhere. Tho eight-hour day will be observed, and the rates of pay will be 12s per day for married men .and single men with dependents, and 10s per day- for single men who are unencumbered.

The Mayor (Mr R. A. Wright, M.P.) stated yesterday afternoon that he wishes to make it clear that the works are being started solely for the relief of. local distress, and that the council ■ oould not entertain applications from the unemployed in other boroughs or towns, who should approach their own local authority for assistance. The committee hoped that the works about to be opened would give relief until conditions righted themselves in , the late, spring. ... : No definite steps have yet been, made towards the raising of the money, but in order that there may be no delay in: commencing the relief works the council has decided to provide for the first contracts opened out of funds m hand. RELIEF OF DISTRESS GOODS AVAILABLE AT HARBOUR BOARD SHED. DEMANDS SHOW NO DECREASE. •Negotiations are, taking place between the unemployment relief committee for a better room from which, to distribute the relief foodstuffs and comforts at present being dispensed at a small basement room at tho Town Hall. The ladies’ committee working at tho Town Hall has found that the present storeroom is quite inadequate, and, being below the level of. the street, is not) the" most desirable place, for' perishable articles. Arrangements are therefore in hand for the goods to be distributed from one of the Harbour Board’s sheds. The demands . upon the committee are said to be showing no signs of decrease, and" cases of distress are every day coming to its notice. Perhaps the most distressful instance of the effect of unemployment is in connection with the confinement of expectant mothers. Relief in these oases forms one of the most important branches of the committee’s activities. The Alexandra, St. Helens,: and Salvation . Army Home authorities have signified willingness to afford every assistance possible in caring , for maternity cases. The offer is much appreciated by the committee.