GROWING WORSE

Southland Times, Issue 20537, 13 July 1928, Page 8

GROWING WORSE

UNEMPLOYMENT BURDEN ON HOSPITAL BOARD REPORT BY SECRETARY The evergreen problem of unemployment again provoked discussion at the Southland Hospital Board meeting yesterday and once again members while deploring the distress so rife in Southland were anything but optimistic regarding the relief being afforded by the efforts of the various local bodies in the province and by the Public Works Department. The discussion followed on the reading of the following report of the secretary:— Since last meeting the demands on the board’s funds for assistance, owing largely to unemployment, have been very heavy. It has been the worst period we have experienced during the past 20 years, and at present there must be a good deal of hardship and suffering amongst the women and children. The officer in charge of the Labour Department has been very good in co-operating with us in placing quite a number of men on Government relief work in the country, which has to some slight extent eased the demands on the board’s funds. Local residents have also in a few instances offered casual work to men with a little knowledge of gardening, although the weather for work of this nature is not very suitable at present. It is surprising, however, to find how little some of these unemployed men seem to know about ordinary- gardening. Apart from the work mentioned, there seems to be very little employment offering at the present time. lam of the opinion, however, that something more could be done in the matter of finding temporary- employment at this time by a little organization and cooperation between the different local authorities and private citizens. There is something radically wrong in the economic conditions of this young country if women and children are forced to apply to hospital boards for relief owing to the inability of their breadwinners to secure employment. “Well, ladies and gentlemen, what can we do about it ?” asked the chairman, Mr John Matheson. “The position is really getting desperate. “Is it possible that the Invercargill Borough Council and the Southland County Council can do anything? Can you see any way out of it? It’s a great source of worry to Mr Pryde.” Mr. G. Wraytt mentioned that some 60 men would be given work on the Glenmuir hill in a few weeks. The secretary said that he had been in touch with the Mayor who told him that there was no work offering in town. “It’s all falling on the Hospital Board,” said Mr Matheson. “Can’t we wake up the local bodies?” The secretary said that he had been rather disappointed with the statement made by the Mayor, who said that he would not open a citizens’ fund save as a last resource. “The annoying part of the matter is,” continued Mr Pryde, “that we’ve been hammering away at this long before the winter started and the local bodies are only making preparations now. The Public Works Department’s relief works are often delayed through preliminary office work. Is there nothing in the County Council’s schedule of works that the unemployed can tackle?” Mr. Wraytt said that there was so much office work necessary beforehand that there was considerable delay. Moreover the winter was not the best time for doing much of the work. It was decided to write to the Public Works Department asking it to expedite matters. “Is there any use writing to the local bodies?” asked Mr Matheson. “Yes. They want to start now and get ready for next winter,” said Mr W. Norman. The secretary was instructed to write to the Invercargill Borough Council. MASS MEETING TO BE HELD. SUBSCRIPTION LISTS OPENED. At a meeting of the Trades and Labour Council last evening it was decided to open a public subscription list for the purpose of raising a fund with which to relieve distress among wives and children of unemployed men. It was agreed to request the daily Press to co-operate in the opening of lists. The council decided to donate £5 5/- to the fund and Councillor T. O’Byrne promised a similar amount. It was decided to call a mass meeting of the unemployed to be held in the Labour Hall on Saturday afternoon at two o’clock to discuss means of bringing this matter prominently before the public, local bodies and the Government. AN INCREASE IN HAMILTON. (Per United Press Association.) Hamilton, July 12. Relief for the unemployed was considered by the Hamilton Borough Council last night, the result of a sudden increase of applicants for relief, fifty to eighty. It was decided to revoke the decision of a week’s interval between fortnightly periods of relief work and revert to fortnightly intervals as otherwise the available funds will be exhausted long before the end of winter.