LABOUR SCHEMES IN CITY

Southland Times, Issue 23942, 7 October 1939, Page 4

LABOUR SCHEMES IN CITY

COUNCIL’S PLAN IS PRAISED INSPECTION OF WORKS BY DEPARTMENT OFFICIAL Praise for the works carried out by the Invercargill City Council under the No. 13 scheme was expressed by Mr B. O’Donnell, liaison officer of the Employment Division of the Labour Department, in an interview with The Southland Times yesterday. Mr O’Donnell said he found the works carried out by the City Council and other local bodies were well organized and each man was placed in a position where he could best pull his weight. The men themselves were doing something that was well worth while and that would be of lasting benefit to the city New sewage and storm-water drains were being laid, and pipes were also being laid in preparation for delivering' a better water supply to the city. Roads and footpaths had been made and some were under construction.

“The City Council is to be congratulated,” he added, “on the initiation of the scheme putting into operation the cultivation of some 50 acres of city reserves to increase the production of vegetables and other crops for export overseas, or to be used .in whatever direction the Government may decide.”

Mr O’Donnell also congratulated the City Council and the men on coming to an amicable arrangement on the subject of shift work and working hours with a view to increased production in the national emergency, He had, he said, visited every job in and around the city where No. 13 Scheme labour was engaged, and on these and on similar jobs at Bluff the men were employed on useful and essential works. He had also visited a few farmers and had found that they were now keen to take up the 4B scheme where 75 per cent, of the labour cost was given to the fanner as absolutely free money. The department supplied the men and 75 per cent, of the money after the job had been inspected by the fields inspector of the Lands Department. It was hoped that more farmers would now avail themselves of the opportunity to make use of the scheme. FARM’ WORKS The conditions of the scheme had been amended on the following basis:— For purely developmental works such as bush-felling, stumping and logging, cutting new drains, new subdivisional fencing, deepening and widening existing drains, subsidies of up to 75 per cent; of the labour cost might be granted without the necessity for the farmer to submit a statement of his financial position. In respect of these works, therefore, the present position would remain unchanged For maintenance works such as deferred scrub cutting, first and subsequent two top-dressings of hill country or other country which was not suitable for machine top-dressing and was to be done by hand, deferred cleaning out of large drains, renewal of subdivisional fences where substantial amounts of new materials were involved, subsidies of up to 75 pei cent, might be granted, according to the applicant’s financial position as disclosed by him on a special form which would be made available with the application form.

The fanner also had the chance today of training young men between the ages of 20 and 25, years to all kinds of farm work, and would receive from the department the sum of £1 a week towards the cost of wages during the first six months. The Government and the Department of Labour were very anxious that the farmers would increase their applications for labour under the 4B and 4F schemes.

NO ACTION TAKEN BY COUNTY

VEGETABLE-GROWING

SCHEME “Tell them we don’t agree with the plan—we don’t want to make this country a loafers’ paradise,” said Cr L. A. Niederer at the meeting of the Southland County Council yesterday when the Government’s plan of increased production of exportable primary products—the national vegetable-growing scheme—was being discussed. A letter was leceived from the employment division of the Department of Labour stating that local bodies were being invited to make available to the Government for the duration of the war any unused land suitable for vegetable production. It also stated that the scheme would probably be controlled by a local committee and it asked that the council nominate a representative on the committee. “I think the men on this work would be better employed on farms,” said Cr Niederer. “If they are not able to look after themselves they should be sent to farms. We should take no action in this matter. The men could be more profitably employed.” Cr G. A. Wraytt supported Cr Niederer and said that there was plenty of work other than vegetable growing to be done. The men should be put on to developmental work on farms. It was agreed to take no action.