REQUEST FOR WORK

Southland Times, Issue 21579, 17 December 1931, Page 6

REQUEST FOR WORK

THE UNEMPLOYED

DEPUTATION TO COUNTY CHAIRMAN COUNCIL’S POSITION In an endeavour to persuade the Southland County Council to provide work for the men employed by it under the No. 5 Scheme during the last week in December, when otherwise they would be off, a deputation from the local Unemployment Committee motored out to Makarewa and waited on the county chairman, Mr James McNeill, yesterday afternoon. The deputation consisted of his Worship the Mayor, Mr John Miller Councillor N. D. McKenzie and Mr W. Hinchey, members of the committee, Mr James Hargest, M.P., Mr S. McDougal], secretary of the Invercargill Returned Soldiers’ Association, and Mr P. C. Weenink, secretary of the committee. After hearing the deputation Mr McNeill said the matter would be brought before the finance committee of the County Council at its meeting to-morrow and it was agreed that the deputation would wait on the committee. Mr Hargest mentioned that he was leaving for Wellington this morning and on his arrival he would interview the Minister in Charge of Unemployment, the Rt. Hon. J. G. Coates, and try to obtain further assistance.

The Mayor said perhaps it would be noticed in that morning’s paper that the City Council had given nearly £BOO for its men.

Mr McNeill: Do you want consideration for the men in work or out of work? The Mayor said it was considered that the local bodies were absorbing all the men. He would ask the County Council to give its men the same work during the last week of the year as it had given all along. As they were aware the Government had given only £3OO and it was thought by the City Council that they might give the men full unemployment time, that was two, three and four days. Undoubtedly the men would be glad to get it. “It places the County Council's men in an awkward position,” said the Mayor, “because unless the County Council can see its way clear to do something its men won’t get the same benefit. The City Council is employing 3SB men.” Mr McNeill said he desired to compliment the City Council on the stand it had taken, but he thought the circumstances were somewhat different. His council had given the matter serious consideration at its last meeting, which was before the City Council’s meeting, and had considered it in the light of giving the men a Christmas box. They had considered buying 300 sheep and distributing them among the men. Then they had considered giving the men an extra day’s work and paying them out of the county fundsl There were two difficulties, however. One might be got over, but the other could not be overcome. One difficulty was that Councillor Nicderer employed nearly half the men and could not afford to pay a day’s wages out of his riding funds, and the other was that nearly half the men were employed on farm improvement work. The council had been taking the men off the roads as fast as possible and placing them on farm improvement work. The deputation would agree that where the work was on private property they had no idea to give the owners of the land that prize. It had been suggested that the men should be taken off the private property and put on county work, but in the opinion of those responsible the moving of tools and such like for a few days was not practicable. After tho council had considered the matter they could not expect him to authorize the expenditure of £4OO or £5OO. The Mayor; We thought you might have called the council together. Mr McNeill: If I thought the council would alter its decision I might. It is a serious matter as tho councillors have long distances to travel. The council has already considered tho matter. Mr Hargest asked if the County Council would consider giving the men under its direct control work during the week. The others could be provided for, he said. At present it looked as if the men employed by the City Council were getting an advantage. The City Council was providing for half the total unemployed and if the county provided for a quarter then threequarters of the total would be provided for. It might be possible to provide for the remaining men by other means. Mr Hinchey said to avoid calling the council together the members could be wired and they could wire their decisions. Now the City Council had made provision for its men the councillors might have changed their minds. Mr McNeill said the County Council had been economizing in every possible way for the past few months. He understood the City Council had raised a special loan for unemployment purposes and so had the money available. The County Council was not in that position. He would not say the council would refuse to borrow, but it might not. He would not put much weight on the lead given by the City Council. However, counties did not have the same worry over unemployment as cities. The unemployed did not approach the county chairman as they did the Mayor. Perhaps they thought he was too hard. (Laughter.) There was a meeting of the council’s finance committee on Friday, but several members would not attend as there would be practically no business requiring attention. However, the county clerk could ring all the members and ask them to be present. Those who did not attend could ring during the meeting. Mr Hargest explained that his idea was that if the City Council provided for half the unemployed and the County Council for a quarter, the remaining quarter could be provided for out of the Government grant. It was finally decided that the deputation should wait on tho finance committee of the County Council to-morrow to rtfquest that work be provided for tho council’s men. — - FOR THE CHILDREN. The Regent Theatre has offered to give a free matinee to children of the unemployed on Saturday. Tickets will be available at the Relief Depot on Friday morning between 10 o’clock and noon. —.