UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF SCHEMES

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22257, 9 May 1934, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF SCHEMES

TO THE EDITOR Sib, —Your correspondent " Observer " in Saturday's issue refers to the subsidised miners as going round the hills, killing time. This is far from the truth, and ir " Observer" could work alongside a few of the local men for a few days and keep his end up then he would be considerably better as a miner than as !an observer. By the tone of his letter he is one of those want-another-coneession cockies. All he wants is cheaper labour; or, rather, he wants it for nothing. This !is surely the limit. With all the concessions, subsidies, and rebates, etc., to eay nothing of cheapened labour by' which the tanners benefit, surely only a " hungry cocky " could ask for more. Perhaps your correspondent does not know that the gold miner is the only recipient of relief or subsidy who has to repay any money advanced to him. Building subsidies and farmers' concessions go free; only the miner must repay. " Olwerver " says also, "A young man would be better on a farm at 10s a week from the Unemployment Board." He most emphatically would not, nor would the finances of the country. He receives 14s 9*d from the Unemployment Board, and if he makes from fl to 30s from gold, as the majority do round here, the Unemployment Board receives 10 per cent, and the Government tax of 12s fid per ounce is roughly a further 10 per cent. Thus the miner has 25s or 30s to put into circulai tion against the 10s he would receive from milking " Observer's " cows and further glutting a sadly glutted market.—l am. etc., No Bull. Omakau, May 7. TO THE EDITOB. Sie, —Allow me to dispute a few or " Observer's" remarks under the abovo heading. Your correspondent states: " These men are getting no gold," and the 1 scheme is ruining them by making them lazy. This is a broad statement, and thoroughly undeserved from many angles. No doubt there are many men who are getting no gold, but then there are many who are, and no doubt if "Observer" saw these men at work he would eing " Sunshine Susie." 1. like many others, can show gold returns to prove that we are doing just as well as we would be by working for a fanner, and at the same time help to pay back to the Unemployment. Board some of the little subsidy we do get. The hardship* '■ of this life alone go to say we are triers. It's quite an easy job sitting in a city office or home criticising men who siep into the baek-of-beyond to try and hotter themselves. Can I imagine " Observer " hopping out of a tent on a real frosty morning, breaking the ice to have a wash in a gold pan—having breaktast go cold before it can be eaten—and putting in a hard day's work for meagre returns? 1 cannot. _ Anyway, the gold digger is an optimistic fellow: always ready to give the silver lining a pull, and no doubt if " Observer" would fall in line with him this winter might not be so bad after all.—l am, etc., Welcome Nugget. Queenstown, May 5.