UNEMPLOYMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21627, 23 April 1932, Page 12

UNEMPLOYMENT

GOVERNMENT’S RELIEF SCHEME /VOLITION STAND-DOWN WEEK NEW SCALE OF LAY STATEMENT BY MINISTER (From Our Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, April 22. The abolition of the stand-down week in unemployment relief with a view to providing the registered unemployed as far as. the available funds will permit with work and relief every week is announced by tbo Minister in Charge of Unemployment (Mr J. G. Coates). The change will date from May I. Hitherto all the unemployed have stood down one week in each four-weekly period, and a considerable burden has been thrown on the hospital boards in that week. There will be no attempt to standardise the conditions and methods of administering relief in all places. A certain amount of latitude will be allowed in making local arrangements to suit local needs. The weekly basis of payment, which will be adjusted according to requirements, will be as under:—Single men, two days’ work, 15s; married men without children, two days and a-half, £1 ss; with one child, three days, £1 10s; with two children, three days and a-half, £1 15s; with three or more children, four days, £2. In this new scale different provision is made for married men without children, for those with one child, and those with two children. Formerly these were grouped together in one class. It is recognised also that some provision must be made tor larger families varying with the number of dependent children. In part this need has been met by family allowances, which are payable to the mother at 2s a week for the third and' later children. The National Expenditure Commission recommended tlm abolition of these allowances, but, having regard to the needs of the families in the lower income groups, including relief workers, the Government has decided not to adopt this recommendation. The Amending Unemployment Act of this session authorises the use of money from the Unemplqynient Fund for the purchase of necessities. , This will be availed of as far as is reasonably possible, and will be related to the family needs. The additional provision thus made will greatly increase the cost to the Unemployment Fund, and this has necessitated the higher taxation imposed during the present session. Yet, even with the revised scales, it is well recognised that there will be scope for moat valuable work by voluntary social organisations, and it is the hope of the Government that these bodies will receive further public support so that they will continue to be, helpful. Without in any way interfering with their admirable work the Government will gladly take part in co-ordinating their work to avoid overlapping. It is to these local voluntary organisations, linked together by central committees, that the Government and the Unemployment Board look in dealing with the problem of unemployment affecting women. The bgard is working with these central committees and the suggestions put forward by women’s organisations through those committees are sympathetically considered. Commenting on the scales of relief now to be applied, the Minister remarked that while tlicy were not as generous as could be desired they represented a real improvement on anything hitherto attempted. The revenue of the Unemployment I mid, allowing for the yield from tlm increased unemployment taxation levied this session, could be estimated at £3,500,000. The total of the relief pay on scheme 5 at the rates now announced must exceed £3,000,000, and this is apart from the expenditure on all other schemes and forms of assistance. In reference to these, including land occupation on small sections, farm improvement, and reproductive works generally, the Minister indicated that further information will be made available presently. To apply the sustenance provisions of the Act would cost not less than £5,000,000 a year at present, and this would obviously mean on the taxation side an increase in the present wages tax, which is already Is in the f. Mr Coates added that food dockets would be given out and in some cases small money payments made. The persons benefiting would not have to take their place in a queue as at present, but the work of the existing social organisations would be co-ordinated. Societies would work separately as at, present, but duplication would be avoided. The food tickets would be cashable at various stores in the cities, the trade being spread over the business community.

SCHEME FOR ST. KILDA REPAIRING OF BOOTS A suggestion was put forward,at a meeting this week of the St. Kilda Unemployed Workers’ Association that two members of the association who had been employed as bootmakers might ply their trade for the benefit of the workless people of the borough. An appeal will therefore be made to any warehouses or factories to supply these men with a second-hand- patching machine and a few pairs of lasts. The men have their own tools. The idea is that the scheme should be self-supporting, and that the 250 members of the association should each give Is to set the scheme in motion. It is proposed that a charge of 2s for the repairing of men’s boots and Is 3d for women’s and children’s boots should be made, out of which it is estimated that profits of 9d and Od respectively would be shown. With these profits, it is suggested that a children’s boot fund should be established, to he controlled by a special committee. It is hoped to obtain permission from the Unemployment Committee for the workdone by the two bootmakers to he regarded as being in connection with the No. 5 scheme, so that their wages would be paid under that scheme. If any firm is willing to make the donation mentioned above, it is requested that it should get in touch with the secretary of the St. Kilda Unemployed Workers’ Association (Mr Neipcr), Calder street, St. Kilda. ALLOCATION OF WORK As Monday will be a holiday, work under Scheme No. 5 for the week ended April 30 will be commenced this morning at 8 o’clock, when four hours will be allotted to the following groups: — 129, South road, 10 chains above Burnett street; 130, North road, at Clegliorn street; 133, Malvern street, at paper mill; 134, Kaikorai Valley road, at Fraser’s road; 138, Queen’s Drive, at Russell street; 141, Reid’s farm, Kaikorai Valley road, at Manchester street; 144, Brockbauk’s farm, top end of Glenelg street; 145, Sligo terrace, at Erin street; 146, Woodbaugb street, at quarry; 158, Fox’s farm, Morniugton road, * above Industrial School; 163, Ravenswood road, at Earl’s road; 172, Bennett’s farm, 32 Gamma street, Roslyn; 533, Wharf street, at French street. PORT CHALMERS COMMITTEE The fortnightly meeting of the Port Chalmers Unemployment Committee was held on Thursday afternoon. A com-

plaint was received from Sawyers’ Bay regarding the inadequacy of the work provided for the men, and it was decided to communicate with the Unemployment Board requesting increased allocations for Port Chalmers and Sawyers’ Bay. The matter of garden plots for unemployed workers was raised, and it was explained that although several men had signified their willingness to cultivate such plots, now that the ground was available they were not coming forward. A relief worker complained personally that this week he had obtained only one day out of the three days’ work allocated to him. He had earned £1 10s by other means, but he did not think that should have any effect on his work under the No. 5 scheme. It was explained that a relief worker could receive his allotted number of days’ work only if the money : provided for the work was not cut down. Reduced allocations occasionally caused the amount of work to be affected. CLEARING OF LAND A mi in be r of applications with regard to the clearing of gorsc and weeds were considered yesterday morning by the local Unemployment Committee. DOWLING STREET DEPOT The officials at the Dowling street depot acknowledge with thanks the following for donations of goods:—Roslyn Presbyterian Guild, Mrs G. Black, Mrs H. Strode and Miss Campbell (per Mrs Battersby). Dr Do Lautour, Mr Robbins, Mr Brugh, Anonymous (per Mr Kindley), Sympathiser, A.A.G., Miss Reilly, Otago Daily Times and Witness Co. and Quaker Press (newspapers and books for camps), staff Arthur Barnett (goods), Anonymous Sympathiser (£1), J.R. (£1 for socks for camp), Singer Sewing Machine Co. and Messrs Forrester and Co. for machines. They also desire to thank New Zealand Breweries Ltd. for the continued use of its Dowling street property, the Otago Hospital Board for the provision of the telephone and other valuable assistance. Since December 23, 1931, to the present date . 410 pairs of children’s boots and shoes (new) have been issued, and 100 pairs of men’s working boots (new). In addition to the above a large supply of second-hand boots has been reconditioned in the boot repair room and distributed.

There is an urgent need for supplies of clothing, boots and working trousers. Donations may be left at the depot on Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday, or if a message is left at the depot (telephone 11-013) goods will be collected. There is a big list of men waiting for the issue of working boots, and officials at the depot state that a thorough record is being kept of requirements so that the interests of the unemployed are safeguarded.

CENTRAL MISSION DEPOT The following donations are gratefully acknowledged by the staff of the Central Mission Depot:—The Josephine, cakes, etc.; “ A Friend,” furniture; Lanrcnson's, bread; staff of Dawsons, Ltd., one bag sugar (weekly donation) ; Bolwcll’s (employees), meat (two donations) ; Stew-, art’s, Ltd., fish (three donations) ; Roslyn Methodist Church, groceries; Evening Star Company, papers; Hop Lee and Co,, vegetables; Mrs Boyd, flour and sugar; “ A Friend,” vegetables; Godfrey’s, bread (two donations) ;, Grimmits, bread (two donations) ; Ritchie’s, cakes and scones (two donations) ; Donaldson’s, bread and cakes (two donations) ; Mr Beck, magazines; Mr Idour, two cases fish; Mr Wootten, bread; “A Friend,” clothes; Sirs Sprosten, meat; Mrs Barr, Jones street, groceries; Messrs Gregg and Co., groceries; Fraser and Son, goods; bread, Garfield avenue; “A Friend,” potatoes; “ A Friend.” two sheep; “ A Friend,” potatoes; E. Jolly, bread; llallonstein Bros., blankets: “Anonymous,” meat; Ernest Adams, cakes, etc.; Mrs Austin, goods; Mr James Henderson, butcher, meat; Mr Donaldson, South Dunedin, bread; New Zealand Wax Vestas Company, groceries (weekly donation) ; Mrs Harrison, Abbotsford, bed, blankets, etc.; Mr Moore, vegetables, etc,; Mrs Brand, bed and mattress; Mr Gibbs, fish; Mrs Beswick, furniture; Mrs Magnus, horse, dray, etc.; “ A Wclhvishcr,” blankets; Mr Hoggan, pram; Mrs Couper, apples; " A Friend,” goods; “ A Friend,” jam; Duckworth’s, bread, etc.; Mr Farableton, goods; Browns, bread; Mrs Roberts (13 Tyne street, Roslyn), pram; Messrs Bing, Harris, blankets: Aulsebrooks, Ltd., one tin biscuits; Messrs Guthrie, Bowron, leather; Mr Fraser (Kaikorai), meat.

MINING DEMONSTRATION Mr T. Roche will give a mining demonstration at the Mayor’s Relief Depot at 3 o’clock til is afternoon. RELIEF WORKERS’ STRIKE DEMAND FOR WITHDRAWAL OF PICKETS. (Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, April 22. A definite demand that pickets should be called off has been made by the Mayor (Mr G. W. Hutchison) and the committee which this week has been discussing with representatives of the Unemployed Workers’ Association the settlement of the relief workers’ strike, The council of the association is now considering the , position, the committee having declined to resume negotiations or to forward its findings to the Government until an assurance is given that the men who desire to return to work will not be prevented by intimidation. The Mayor added that the committee had considered carefully the Unemployed Association’s proposals, and bad agreed upon its findings on the various points. This morning he had been informed by Mr Coates that the details of the new rates of pay would be released as soon as Cabinet is able to meet.