UNEMPLOYMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22212, 15 March 1934, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT

UNIFORM ALLOCATIONS DEPUTATION TO MEET MINISTERS (Peb United Pbess Association.) WELLINGTON, March 14. Delegates at the annual meeting of the Municipal Association of New Zealand to-day discussed at length unemployment problems with a view to forming a deputation to the Prime Minister and the Minister of Employment for the purpose of asking for uniform relief allocations" for all districts. Some of the delegates objected to the conference as a whole being asked to support the deputation as in the main the complaints came only from certain districts. By a narrow vote it was decided that the deputation should be representative of only those delegates who considered themselves concerned in the problem. Mr I. J. Bridger, Mayor of Eltham, said that in various parts of New Zealand there was a great disparity in the relief allocations, and suggested that the conference should make this the subject of a full deputation to the Prime Minister. He had found that on a weekly rate of four weeks' work in a month Class A men in Patea had been receiving 4s 8d and those in Mar ton lis 3d. Bbth were rural districts and the conditions in each were almost exactly the same. In another North Island district Class A men had been getting lis 3d a week while in part of the South Island they averaged £1 7s 9Jd. Class G payments ranged from 15s to £1 13s-. "Those are very serious differences," he continued. "It is creating growing dissatisfaction among the unemployed." Mr Bridger proposed as a resolution — "That this conference views as serious and as decidedly unfair the present disparity in the allocation!* and asks the Unemployment Board for a uniform system throughout New Zealand." The Rev. J. K. Archer (Christchurch) said if there were to be any alteration in the payments it should not be to bring the better paid men to the level of the lower paid ones, but the other way about. , That was the opinion of the Christchurch City Council. Mr J. Jackson, Mayor of Gisborne, suggested that the conference should be unanimous in telling the Government that the time had arrived when it should consider the raising of internal loans and starting all public works that were necessary. During the currency of loan the unemployment levy could go on and its receipts would increase under the increased industry.

Mr J. Miller, Mayor of Invercargill: That is the soundest proposal we have heard put before us. It does not seem that the Unemployment Board is disposing of its funds to the best public advantage. The chairman (Mr T. C. A. Hislop, Mayor of Wellington) said there must be some difference in the requirements between one district and another. He did not say as much as 4s and 15s, but rents varied for one thing. " I do not think it is right for the whole association to be drawn into this. A very large number of us would not feel justified in going with a deputation," he said. Mr J. W. Greenslade, Mayor of Greymouth, said there should not be any parochial idea about the discussion or an attempt to make it a town versus country issue. Those who were getting more should not hang back from those who were getting less. Mr Hislop said those who were dissatisfied with their allocations should form a deputation among themselves. They would have good support.

Mr H. L. Harker, Mayor of Wairoa: If you let the cities gracefully retire and let the smaller places carry the baby it will be very unwise. By 48 votes to 41 it was decided to give those who wished ; to join in the deputation a free hand to do so independently of the conference as a whole. The deputation will probably take place to-morrow. WORK IN SCHOOL GROUNDS PROPOSED REMOVAL OF MEN. CHRISTCHURCH, March 14. A resolution of protest against the removal of men employed under the No. 5 scheme from work on school grounds was carried by the Christchurch School Committees' Association to-night. The resolution declared that '' the men were doing work on Government property and their removal would embarrass the school committees, which were already seriously hampered in the matter of finance, and that the work done by the relief workers was of a kind which could not be carried out with the decreased Government lowances.ALLOCATION OF WORK GROUPS TO REPORT. Groups of relief workers engaged under the No. 5 scheme will report for work at 8 a.m. to-day as follows: WORKS DEPARTMENT. 62—Wharf street, at tip. 63—Portobello road, at bridge. 64—Ross Creek reservoir. 65—North road, at Norwood street. 66 —Canongate, at Rattray street. , 67—Preston crescent, at Harcourt street. 68—Taieri road, at Nairn street. 69—Woodhaugh street, at quarry. 71—Malvern street, at old sawmill. 75—Cavell street, at Botha street. 78—South road, at Riselaw road. 87—Woodhaugh street, at quarry. 88—Canongate, at Rattray street. 90—Wharf street, at tip. 2002—Heriot row, at top of Constitution street. . . RESERVES DEPARTMENT.

85, 608, 706—At Woodhaugh Gardens, 93, 606, 705—At Tonga Park. 86—At Chisholm Park.