RELIEF WAGES

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18335, 1 March 1934, Page 13

RELIEF WAGES

TARANAKI MAYORS COMPLAIN VARIED ALLOCATIONS . • . -V : : ’ - 4 i The unemployment allocations were freely criticised by the Mayors of boroughs in Taranaki at a conference held at Eltham on Monday. The Mayors present were Messrs. I. J. Bridger, Eltham, E. R. C. Gilmour, New Plymouth, F. Rams bottom, Patea, J. Gibbs, Inglewood, and J. E. Campbell, Hawera. The following resolutions were passed: — That this meeting strongly reiterates its previous opinion that all relief workers throughout the Dominion should be placed on the same basis, irrespective of qities, towns or districts. This ipeeting respectfully suggests that tho' Unemployment Board should show, more confidence in, and consideration for, the unemployment committees, or else definitely state that it does not. desire assistance and co-operation. That a letter bie forwarded to all Mayors in New Zealand setting out the differentiation and wide disparity in the allocations, not onlv as between cities andt towns, but between town and town; abd that they be requested to advise as to their willingness to attend as a deputatipn to. the Minister to put forward the case for equal allocation for all relief workers, such deputation to be arranged dnijng the municipal conference in Hayera. That tbo attention of the board be drawn to the difference between the wages of a man with no children and a man with three children, and that a sug- j gartifm be made for a sliding scale allow-iaMwore-for men with one or two child-. reSU&an for a man with a wifo only. Mr. Gilmour said the unemployment allocations during the past three years showed an amazing decrease. Figures taken for the third week in January were:—Single men, 1932, 18s: 1933, 7s 6d;; 1934, 4s 8d; B men, £1 17s 6d, £1 35,9 d, 18s 9d; C men, £2 10s, £1 13s Id, £lßs Id; He described as staggering the figures showing difference in relief wages earned in various centres in Taranaki in the same week last month. They were: Single men, New Plymouth, 4s 8d; Patea, 5s 71d; Eltham, 7s 4dj Hawera, 5s 8d; B men) 18s 9d, 11s 3d, 14s 3d, 15b ; 0 men, £1 8s Id, 15s, £1 2s 3d, £1 2s 6d.