UNEMPLOYMENT IN GORE

Southland Times, Issue 22008, 6 May 1933, Page 9

UNEMPLOYMENT IN GORE

LOCAL COMMITTEE MEETS. At a meeting of the Gore Unemployment Committee on Thursday night there were present: Messrs W. D. Shelton (chairman), J. Sleeman, F. M. Murray, W. O’Byrne, R. W. Nqake, E. Melvin (secretary) and the Rev. H. C. Orchard.

The Gore School Committee applied for the services of two men for a period of three weeks from about June 10 for cutting hedges etc., about the school grounds. It was decided to make the necessary arrangements. The following letter was. received from the chairman of the Relief Workers’ Association (Mr R. Adams): — “Owing to wages cut and hours shortened, I have been empowered by many unemployed workers to ask the Unemployment Board if it will consider this matter and give the relief workers the three days full time work instead of the 22 hours, or no stand-down week, as it is impossible to live on the 22 hours’ work. I understand that in other places the relief workers get their full time, and that Gore only is getting 22 hours and a stand-down week as well. Why should Gore relief workers not have full time as well as other places? I am also given to understand that in other centres relief workers are getting food twice a week. The Gore unemployed get meat once a week and nothing else. Out of the 22 hours’ work do you expect the unemployed of Gore and district to pay rent and buy food, firing and clothing for families ? It is very hard for an unemployed man to get a house without paying his rent in advance, and if he cannot keep up his payments he is turned out.”

It was decided to place the letter in Mr McDougall’s hands for favourable consideration.

The allocation for the week ending May 13 was approved. It was decided to give two days’- work to single men. A circular letter from the Unemployment Board stated that at the recent conference it was unanimously agreed that the following physical classification of unemployed men and the following definition of responsibility for assistance should be adopted in future: (1) Hospital Board doctors examining at the instance of the Unemployment Board’s local officer any unemployed man who claims not to be fit for ordinary relief work should endeavour to classify each examinee definitely under one of the following classes: Class A.—Men fit for any work in any place; Class B.—Men fit for light work only; Class C.—Men unfit for work, of any kind. It is to be borne in mind in examining men for classification purposes that the great bulk of the work available is manual labour. (2) Men in classes A and B will be recognized as the responsibility of the Unemployment Board. Men in classes C will be recognized as the responsibility of the Hospital Board. (3) Where the medical classification is doubtful, and for this or any other reason, responsibility is disputed, prompt, endeavour should be made to settle the question, the Hospital Board being recommended to afford any necessary relief meantime.