NOT PERMANENT

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18191, 12 September 1933, Page 11

NOT PERMANENT

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF ATTITUDE OF THE BOARD (Per Press Association.) ELTHAM, this day. Stating that the country could not stand any more -taxation for relief, Mr. J. S. Jessep, deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board, who is at present making a hurried tour of Taranaki, -told the Eltham committee that, taking the total at 70,000, it would cost another i>1,820,000 to provide one extra day’s work per man per weeK. Definitely, there was no chance of an increase in allocation. It might be decreased as the summer came on. If work was offering, the State could not afford to [find relief. A single man should shift for himself.

The board wished to get back to normality as soon as the opportunity occurred. It was always difficult to retrace one’s steps, but it had to be done. lor New Zealand to face the situation as a permanency could not be contemplated. Sometimes it was inferred that No. 5 scheme was permanent employment. It was not, and as soon as the country was of the opinion that ordinary work was offering, then the country would not be prepared to keep men on No. 5, or any other, scheme. In answer to a question, Mr. Jessep said lie could cite any number of cases where useful work was offered and the board had been told that men preferred to remain on the No. 5 scheme. Mr. Jessep was very cordially received in Eltham ’by the local Unemployment Committee.

It is understood that an important statement affecting relief work will be made by Mr. Jessep very shortly.

ABOLITION OF RELIEF DEMAND BY UNEMPLOYED (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. A conference of the National Union of Unemployed lias concluded its deliberations. The conference decided that the major demand of the national union should be the abolition of all existing relief of unemployment schemes and the substitution of either national unemployment insurance or work at award rates of pay. It was decided to adopt a. policy of organised opposition to any attempt to force married men into camp. In view of the fact that the national union included 35 women’s organisations, it was decided to ask the Government to make provision for unemployed women on an equality basis with men.