WORK ON FARMS.

Pahiatua Herald, Volume XXXIX, Issue 11684, 24 February 1931, Page 4

WORK ON FARMS.

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF ANOTHER SCHEMfe. Rules in connection with the Unemployment Board’s scheme for relieving unemployment by providing subsidised labour for developmental work on farms were announced yesterday'. The scheme will operate as follows: (1) Workers who have been resident in New Zealand for six months and have paid their contributions to the unemployment fund, or have been registered as such for fourteen days at the labour exchanges, or, where no labour exchanges exist, at the post offices, are eligible for employment under this scheme long as it is in operation. Or<dinary employees must not be discharged to take advantage of this offer. (2) The local unemployment committees, in conjunction with the labour bureaux or local certifying officers throughout the Dominion, will select suitable men for farm work from the registered unemployed. (3) Farmers are invited to apply to the local unemploy'ment committee for workers under the following conditions: (4) Each farmer applying for men under this scheme will be required to sign a declaration to the effect that since December 1, 1930, he lias not discharged and will not in the future discharge any employee or employees .in order to take advantage of this or any other scheme operated by the Unemployment Board for providing work for the unemployed. (5) Workers will be engaged for periods of four to twenty-six weeks, farmers having the right to discharge men at any time for unsatisfactory work or conduct. SUBSIDY ON WAGES.

(6) The Unemployment Board will subsidise the wages agreed upon, between employer and employee at the following rates; (a) 15s per week for single men; (b) 25s per week for married men; (c) in addition, the farmer to provide free board and lodging or housing where necessary, and means or cost of transport to the farm to take up the work. The former to pay at weekly or fortnightly intervals, as mutually arranged, the difference between the weekly wage agreed, upon and the board’s subsidy. The farmer will also be required to furnish a certificate to the worker stating that the work has been performed and the amount paid to the worker. This certficate will be surrendered by the worker to the officer who issued to him the employment slip for the job. The officer will then prepare a voucher which will enable the worker to obta'** payment of the subsidy due at money order office. (7) Farmers employing labour under this scheme are required to make their own arrangements regarding workers’ compensation insurance. No liability rests with the Unemployment Board in this respect. LOCAL COMMITTEE ACTIVE. Already the Pahiatua Unemployment Committee lias placed five men on farms under this scheme 4A, and there are still a few more men who could be placed in the district if application is made soon. Under Scheme No. 2, for which a subsidy of 7s per day was offered for private work, the local committee arranged employment for 15 men. This scheme runs out at the end of this week.