RELIEF WORKERS’ BOOTS

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LX, Issue 18253, 23 November 1933, Page 4

RELIEF WORKERS’ BOOTS

FREE REPAIR SYSTEM UNDERMINING INDUSTRY PETITION TO THE HOUSE (Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON, last niglit. Reporting on a petition in the House of Representatives asking for an inquiry into the methods of assistance granted in connection with hoot repairs lor unemployment relief workers by the Unemployment Hoard, the Labor Bills Committee recommended that the mailer be referred to the Government foi consideration. The Leader of the Opposition, Mr. M. J, Savage, said he recognised that the subject bristled with difficulties. While the scheme gave temporary assistance to the unemployed, it was adding to the army of unemployed, because those following the occupation of boot repairing were being iorced out of employment. The scheme could not be lasting, because it was undermining industry from one end of the Dominion to the other, Mr. A. J. Stall worthy (Imh, Eden) urged that trade he diverted back into its ordinary channels. / Mr. A. S, .Richards (Lab., Roskill) said that if one had time to investigate,' it would probably be found that there were a number of people at present in hospital because they had been wearing dirty disease-infected boots supplied under the scheme. Mr. S. G. Smith: There was no suggestion of that in the evidence of the committee. DISGUSTING PRACTICE Mr. A. Harris (Coal., Waitemata) said the opinion expressed by Mr. Richards had not been borne out by the evidence heard by the committee. All had agreed 1 that the relief workers were receiving very material benefit. Mr. D. G. Sullivan (Lab. Avon) sugigested that a portion of tfie boot repairing work should be given to ordinary repairers undei some arrangement between the Unemployment Board and the Boot Repairers’ Association, so as to keep these men in their shops. He further suggested that relief workers engaged in repairing boots be called upon to work only sufficient time to enable them to receive the amount the Unemployment Board was able to pay them on the basis of standard rates of wages. Mr. IT. G. R. Mason (Lab., Auckland Sub.) said it was a disgraceful and a disgusting thing) that people should be forced to wear the cast off clothing of other people, which should he burned. Mr. Smith: There was no mention of that to the committee. Mr. Mason : It has been mentioned in the House. ENDEAVORING TO HELP The Hon. A. Hamilton said that the Government vvas being blamed for a number of things for which it was not responsible. Tfie boot repairing schemes were conducted by the local committees and not at the Government depots under the jurisdiction of the Unemployment Board. The people who had inaugurated the schemes were endeavoring to help the relief workers by making their money go as far as possible. The Unemployment Board was helping some depots to buy leather. The board’s attitude was that it was spending its money _ wisely _ in helping the social workers in various centres. Mr. R. Semple (Lab., Wellington E.) said that no one wished to disparage the fine work being done by social workers, but it was tlio principle of distributing derelict boots among the unemployed to which objection was raised. He hoped that the Minister would inspect the results of the next clothes drive in Wellington Mr. W. E. Parry (Lab., Auckland C.) : He will need to take a gas mask. Mr. Semple said the clothes and boots collected had to be fumigated by the Health Department, and then were, classified by the social workers. If the Minister visited one of these depots after a clothes drive he would suffer from nerves for a few days afterwards. Tfie petition was referred to tfie Government for consideration.