UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22205, 7 March 1934, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT POLICY

CRITICISM OF COMMITTEE ITS FUNCTIONS OUTLINED The Mayor of Dunedin (the Rev. E* T. Cox), who is chairman of the local Unemployment Committee, has issued «■ statement With regard to the remarks of Cr Kobinson, of the St. Kilda Borough Council, in connection with,the withdrawal from the committee of the St, Kilda representative., .■ ' ~/ " The Local - Unemployment Committee," he states, "was: formed, and still functions, as the representative of the various local unemploymentr-authorU ties of Dunedin to give effect to the relief measures instituted by the" country and perforce controlled by. the Government of the day. It* chief function, is to apportion the men:on re 'i?f to the various employing authorities'iri such numbers as those bodies span .conveniently and:.; usefully employ them; Its further duty is to exploit ' every, avenue of industry to ffnd,work for men, and thus relieve the country of the burden of carrying.ori relief measures. "That it functions to some purpose," Mr. Cox continues, "is shown by the fact that work is found for, every man sent forward by the Labour Department, whereas in the northern cities, where there is' no committee, inen have to stand down. -. "That members of the committee do not see eye to eye with the whole policy of the board is no reason why they should decline to be associated with it. The local committee does hot? regard itself as the agent of the i» the agent of the local employing authbtities, but it must function in accordance with the board's regulations; As -a matter of fact, the unemployed are anxious to secure representation on th« committee, and this will be granted■ if approved by the hoard. .thi«,ii ptbbf that in the minds of -the reliefworkers the committee is of spihe .value. I hope that, on sec6nd,thought, Bt. ; KHda will again send a Tepreseniative." :