UNEMPLOYMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21361, 15 June 1931, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT

THE No. 5 SCHEME QUOTA FOR FINAL WEEK If the Unemployment Board's proposal to suspend its No. 5 scheme on June 20 is carried into effect, to-day .will be the commencement of the final week of relief employment under the scheme. This week’s quota provides for work for 2172 men, of whom 842 will be employed under the direction of the City Corporation, 192 with the St. Kilda Borough Council, 90 with the Otago Harbour Board, 30 with the Education Board, and 30 with the Ocean Beach Domain Board. The total wages of these men for the week will amount to £3232, so that, taking into account the 468 men who will be standing down, considerably more than this amount will be required to provide relief after the scheme has closed down. Mr W. Bownie Stewart on Saturday received the following reply from the Prime Minister in response to a message which he had sent to Mr Forbes regarding the suspension of the No. 5 scheme: —“Your telegram regarding unemployment received, and representations noted; matter is at present engaging earnest consideration of Government.”

RELIEF WORK IN THE CITY GROUPS TO REPORT. The following groups are requested to report as follows at 8 a.m. to-day:— Tramways Department, at usual starting places—group 45 and the following men of group 26:—Baskett, Boardman, Cameron, Dawson, and Doherty. Gas Department, at Gasworks, Anderson’s Bay road —the following men of group 37:—Adamson, Akcrquist, • Anderson, Bell,' Carr, Downes, Dripps, Foster, Gillan, Geary, and D. E. Grey. Reserves Department, at Botanic Gardens, groups 217, 149, 53 and 39; at Mornington football grounds, groups 150, 54, and 30; at’Anderson’s Bay tram terminus, group 81; Harbour Board, at boat harbour, group 55; at Cargill road, harbour end, group 25. Ocean Beach Domain, at band rotunda St. Kilda, the same men who started on Monday of last week. St. Kilda, at Scott street yard, at 7.45 a.m., groups S. 33, 108, 189, and 208. City Council: 109, Riselaw road, at Corstorphine road; 110, Riselaw road, at top of hill; 113, intersection County road and Dean street; 116, Signal Hill road, one and a-half miles above' terminus; 117, Riselaw road, qt fop of bill: 118, Patmos avenue, one mile off Leith Valley road; 120, Leith Valley road, above Stony Ford; 121, intersection Dundonald street and Kamura street; 123, Riselaw road, at South road; 124, intersection Oates street and Falcon street; 126, intersection Queen’s drive and Massey avenue (near VVarrcnder street) ; 127, Pine Hill road, above school; 128, intersection Glen avenue gnd Mitchell avenue: 130, North road at Castlecraig street (beyond Brown House) ; 132, Riselaw road, at South road; 133, Balmaceweu road at golf links; 135, intersection Somerville street and Abbotsford road; 136, inter section Glen avenue and Mitchell avenue 137. Leith Valley, below Cedar Creek; 138, Riselaw road, off Corstorphine road. 140, North road, at Uxbridge street; 142, Fraser’s road, at baths; 143, Woodhaugh street, near quarry; 144, intersection Queen’s drive and Preston crescent: 145 Wharf street and French street; 146. Pine Hill road at top of steps (Georgstreet bridge) : 201, North road, above Hangman’s Gully; 202, Queen’s drive, near High street, Mornington ; 203, North road, one and a-half miles above tram terminus; 204, Queen’s drive, between Pitt street and Driver’s road; 205, Wood haugh street, near quarry: 206, interscc, tion Norman street and Spottiswoode street ; 213, intersection Marne street and Larnach road; 214, intersection Queen’s drive and Preston crescent: 215, North road, above tram terminus; 216, intersection Wharf street and French street.

QUESTION OF PRODUCTIVE WORKS

STATEMENT BY UNEMPLOYMENT COMMISSIONER. As the result of the conference of local bodies held in Dunedin recently the secretary of the Otago Hospital Board (Mr J. Jacobs) forwarded the following resolution, passed by that conference, to the Unemployment Board:— “This meeting is of opinion that in many cases unemployment funds are not being spent in a productive manner, In the opinion of this conference the economic position is such that no wasteful expenditure should be countenanced and , work should not be done merely to keep men occupied. In the opinion of this meeting all work to be done, whether the business of the borough, county, Main Highways Board or Government, should be classified and the most urgent work put in progress first, using unemployed for this purpose/' The following reply from the Unemployment Commissioner (Mr Malcolm Fraser) was received by Mr Jacobs on Saturday:— “ Dear Sir, —Your letter conveying resolutions passed at a combined meeting of local bodies, etc., in Dunedin recently has been placed before the Unemployment Board, and in reply I am directed to state that the resolutions have received the most careful consideration.

“ 1. Value- of work performed.—lt Is noted that the resolution stated, ‘ That in the opinion of the meeting in many cases unemployment funds are not being spent in a productive manner, and that in the opinion of the conference the economic position is such that no wasteful expenditure should be countenanced and work should not merely be done to keep men occupied/ “\I desire to point out that this board had to face a position with regard to the expenditure of its moneys which was never anticipated when the Act was passed, in that there are now approximately six times as many unemployed as there were when the Act was passed. The view expressed by the Unemployment Committee, on whose report and deliberations the Act was based, was that the maximum number of unemployed that would have to be cared for would not exceed 15,000. Our figures have been more than three times as great as this. Consequently the fund has not been equal to the strain placed upon it and even with the rationed relief that has been distributed, per medium of the local bodies operating under Scheme 5, the board quite recognises that it has not reached the full number of unemployed that are eligible to receive relief in the Dominion. The strain has been so great that it has not been possible to do more than keep Scheme No. 5 operative from week to week, and consequently it has been quite impossible to undertake major schemes indiscriminately. Local bodies have not been in the position where they have been able to see any continuous work definitely assured them under this scheme, and consequently they have had to undertake work which could be discontinued at a week’s notice if neces sary. This has had the effect of preventing big jobs from being commenced and had the tendency of making the work undertaken more on the basis of what has been described as “ weed chipping.” This has not been the fault of the board, as it can only administer the funds at its disposal, and this particular

class of relief under scheme 5 was only instituted as a measure in lieu of sustenance. No one is more desirous of seeing productive work undertaken than the members of the board themselves, and as soon as Parliament has placed the fund in a position where the finances are assured and the board can look forward to receiving sufficient moneys to enable it to make commitments ahead it is possible that it will be able to authorise a totally different class of work to be performed than is possible under the present financial conditions. “ I am sure your board will realise the handicaps that this board has experienced in this direction and recognise how impossible it has been, when the work could only bo authorised fronPweek to week, to suggest to local bodies to undertake major schemes. • - " 2. Classification of Urgent Work.— My hoard agrees with you that a classification of this nature is desirable, but a lot that has been said above had a material bearing on this phase of the position. No one hopes more sincerely than the members of the board do that in the near future when Parliament meets something will be done to place the finances of the board in a sound position so that the work undertaken can be of the' class indicated.” CESSATION OF No. 5 SCHEME HOSPITAL BOARDS’ ASSOCIATION ACTING. In response to the message sent by the Otago Hospital Board to the ‘ Hospital Boards’ Association of New Zealand in connection with the report that the Unemployment Board is terminating the operation of the No. 5 scheme on June 20, and suggesting concerted action by the association to prevent the inevitable call on boards for assistance, a telegram has been received from the association stating that action was already being taken in the matter. DEPUTATION TO PRIME MINISTER REDUCTION IN INTEREST RATES URGED. After attending a meeting of the executive of the Municipal Association at Wellington, the Mayor (Mr R. S. Black) returned to Dunedin on Friday night. Mr Black stated on Saturday morning that whilst in Wellington he had been one of a deputation that had waited on the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) with a request that the unengaged under the No. 5 scheme,, receiving work for only three weeks but of every four, should be employed during the fourth week as well. It came as a shock to the members of a deputation when they were informed that the scheme was to be suspended from June 20. The deputation had also suggested that the rate of interest should be reduced to relieve municipal undertakings and .business generally. Mr Forbes indicated that he had had several discussions with the banks on this question. Mr Black said he considered that the question should be tackled right away, as he felt it would be a big factor in helping to remove the depression. The deputation felt that, though Mr Forbes ’gave no indication of anything that would be done, he was sympathetic with them in their endeavour to settle the unemployment question and to have the interest rates reduced. Mr Black stated that he had also interviewed the Minister of Health (Mr A. J. Stallworthy) regarding the positions of hospital boards. He had received figures which showed that the Otago Board had a very small amount on its estimates. This year the local board had some £II,OOO for outdoor relief, whereas last year it expended the sura of £14,000 on outdoor relief. He noted that Wellington had over-spent its allocation by £4OOO, and that its estimate for this year was £33,000, as compared with £II,OOO for Otago. The estimate of/the North Canterbury Board for outdoor relief was £20,000, and that of Auckland £30)000. It looked, commented Mr Black, as Otago Board was modest in the amount it asked for the relief of those in disdross.

RELIEF OF DISTRESS DOWLING STREET DEPOT ACTIVE. Although the relief depot in Dowling street is not yet in full swing, a certain amount of relief work' has been carried out during the past week, but limited supplies have prevented any distribution of goods on a large scale. During the week-end Mrs James Hutchison and Miss Downie Stewart, members of the Clothing Sub-cornmittce, visited a number of families in necessitous circumstances in various parts of the city and distributed clothing, blankets, and boots where they were required. An urgent need for warm clothing of all descriptions, particularly for children, exists at the depot, and footwear, especially in the smaller sizes, would also be. welcome. Among other supplies, 30 bags of firewood were distri bated during the week ended on Saturday.

BUILDING REQUIRED FOR DEPOT

The Mayor '(Mr R. S. Black) has intimated that the local central committee organising Relief in Dunedin was having difficulty in securing a suitable building to use as a relief depot, and asks that anyone having such premises available should communicate with him at once.

POSITION IN WELLINGTON NO CORPORATION FUNDS AVAILABLE. (Per United Press Association.) WELLINGTON, June 13. • The Mayor (Mr T. C. A: Hislop) stated to-day that the carrying on of the present city relief works, giving employment to over 1800 men, depends on the continuance of the No. 5 scheme, and if that scheme is tp be suspended on June 20 the men will be compelled to apply to the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board as the corporation has no funds available. The only possible way by which the men could be given work was by the No. 5 scheme.

The Mayor also stressed the fact that it the No. 5 scheme should be continued some of the Government restrictions should be removed to enable work reasonably necessary at the present time to be undertaken instead of work which is more or less unnecessary. DISTRESS RELIEF FUND) We have received the following subscriptions in response to the Mayor’s appeal: — Previously acknowledged .. £43 15 0 C. H. S : . . .. 3 3 0 “ Helper ” 2 0 0 P 10 0 “Te Awa ” .. ' 1 0 0 I. 8., Dunback 1 0 0 UNEMPLOYED WOMEN The Mayoress’s Fund now stands as follows: —

Previously acknowledged . . £127 0 0 Mrs J. M. Ritchie .. .. . . 10 0 0 0 0 A Friend 1 0 0 10 0 £139 10 0