UNEMPLOYMENT

Stratford Evening Post, Volume I, Issue 498, 21 July 1932, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

DEPUTY-CHAIRMAN OF BOARD IN STRATFORD DEPUTATIONS FROM LOCAL ' BODIES i ' Representatives of local bodies ■ io<Stratford waited upon Mr. J. S. i'< Jessep, deputy chairman of the ji Unemployment Board, at the Counj cil Chambers, this morning, and 1 placed bafore him various aspects of the problem from their respective outlooks. The main point ! was made by the representatives of the Unemployed Committee, w?ho sought recognition ,pf. their claim for an increased allocation for Stratford, but the reply of Mr Jessep held out little hope of the request being granted in the meantime.

Mr. Jessep was attended by his private secretaries and also present were: .The Mayor (Mr. P. Thomson), Mr. T. R. Anderson (chairman of the County Council), Messrs. W. Holmes and P. McDonald (chairman and secretary respectively of the Stratford Unemployed Committee), Rev. T. Skuse, Messrs. ' E. Marfell. M. P. Ford. M. Gernhoefer, S. Spence and P. Skogluud '(Unemployment Committee), Mr D. McCready (Postmaster and certi fyiiig officer), Mr. W. L. Kennedy (chairman of the Hospital Board), M' D. Maealister (Returned Soldiers' Association), the Mayoress (Mrs Thorn son), and Mrs Bowler (Women's Relief'Committee) and Dr. Doris Gordon (Self H.elp Club). .... The Mayor welcomed Mr. Jessep to Stratford, and referred to the activities in connection with unemployment in the district, mentioning the various committees and their work. The idea, he said, was that the unemployed should be encouraged to be more independent, and in this connection

the Self' Help Club had done great work. Reference was also made to ■ the' Hospital Board work in relieving distress. The Skoglund scheme at the commencement of the unemploy-, ment problem was another form of as-' sistan&e which was not now in operation. Mr. Thomson spoke of func tions held in the country in the direction of helping the distressed. The ' local butchers had assisted in provid ing cheaper meat. The unemployed had formed a committee to help them selves, and one' method was in the establishment of a boot repairing shop There is a very commendable spirit i of self-help.'and self-reliance among the local unemployed, he said, and r spirit of citizenship both in the and country districts. Whilst the un ' employment relief was derived from taxation, 'Stratford as a community realised that they had responsibilities. The tax had been increased and wat bearing hardly upon all sections of the country.. The people had heard o< \ the sum, of £16,000 per week having been, voted ..to provide an extra amount of work during the winter. But it had not produced any effect in this district, with the result that the un-1 employed, were, becoming restive, and he had been requested to arrange -r meeting to place their views before the Board's deputy chairman. Mr.-Anderson welcomed Mr. Jessep He said the greatest trouble was the stand-down.week, and endorsed the Mayor's remarks. ■

The Men's Position Mr. Holmes spoke of the anomaly ,of the" allocation made to the cities and the country districts. He gave the 1 details of the position cf the men under the old schemes and at present, and said that it was impossible fori the unemployed to carry on. Tho ■men wanted a definite statement from Mr. Jessep as to whether they could obtain a larger allocation. Stratford, he pointed out, had re-' oeived only £5 extra out of the £16!000 a week, and wanted to know where, the money was going to. The people should get something extra for the taxation they paid. He said the men were in a worse position now than Six 1 months ago.

Mr! Jessep said Mr. Holmes should have verified his figures. From the certifying officer, Mr. Jessep said he had obtained the record for two, three and four days as mentioned by MV. Holmes. From April 23 to July 1 1>. ;here was only one week in which f hree days was worked by the fourday class, all the others working three and a-half and four days. As to the three-day men, there were only "•vc weeks in which they got two days tho rest of the time getting two and -half to three days; the two-day men

Pert three weeks they got me and a-half days on air average, in wo weeks two days on an average; ind in the balance they had one day. Appeal for the Backblocks

Mr. Ford made an appeal to increase the allocation for No. 5 scheme in the Whangamomona County. He said the men were in a worse position than others in Stratford. Mr. Ford complimented the authorities on setting up, a camp at Kohuratahi. Work Appreciated

The Mayor paid tribute to the work of the unemployed in the district. He said that both in the Borough and County the work had been just as good as that of the men in permanent positions. Bigger Allocation Wanted Mr. Skoglund pointed out that the conditions for the unemployed were not as good as when the scheme was: started, and, that was the burden of ihe complaint of the unemployed. He ."-reed with" the men that the alloca tion should ho bigger in the country districts. There was a great deal of distress, and owing to the taxation the citizens were not. in a position to help as they had done at first. Tin men were not any better .off tp-day han last year, i i< \->v-.v

■ Hospital Board's Request ■ ■.■> Mi". Kennedy-' welcomed Mr. Jesser. j to flic district. All that the Hospital ; Board wanted, he said, was that it Should be relieved i! of employable men '•altogether. : The cost per week had ''■boon £lO per week outside ordinary' charitable' aid. He pointed out that these people had great hardship in oh taining houses. The Railway Deparl meht had "empty houses (four, he believed), but. would not, allow them to be occupied. Evictions had also taken place. The Board had had to keep the employable men going all tlitiime, except that £5 had been received last week. Question About Hamilton '.'" "Is it a fact thai Hamilton's allocn kiibn was increased by £2OO, and i! p so, why?" asked Mr. Holmes. n 'Mr. Jessop said.it■might be increas. ed- £SOO and later reduced £3QO.,Thq allocation was the same all over thej;

country. It was possible for Strat< ford's to increase under certain circumstances. Rev. Skuse spoke for the people in the backblocks, as on account of the prices of foodstuffs the position was worse there. He would like to see some of the allocation go to those people. The Self-Help Principle Dr. Doris Gordon spoke of the good work done by the men by gardening under the Self-Help Club. The problem now was how to keep the club going. If the Club were going to carry about 100 families, they must get cash or kind to the value of £:SO. Dr. Gor■•dou asked whether she would be justified going to the local bodies or the Unemployment Board. The Mayoress said the Women's Relief Committee had assisted about 70 families, thus benefiting about 200, children. The single men were much j in need and could not find clothing on i one day a week. j Bugbear of Stand-down Week Mr. Marfell said the idea of the Unemployment Committee had been to get the single men out into the country. The bugbear was the standi down week. There was scarcely ever sufficient funds to cover the full days. He supported the appeal on behalf of the backblocks. Mr. Jessep's Reply Mr. Jessep, who was received with applause, thanked all for meeting him at such short notice. He congratulated Stratford on the very able voluntary organisation which had been 1 done. It showed that the people were endeavouring to help themselves. The growing of vegetables was now an important part of the scheme. Stratford i led the van and was quoted all over j New Zealand. He stressed the point | that New Zealand was passing through a strenuous time in common with the i rest of the world. What was being I done in New Zealand compared with i Australia was so far ahead on the I basis that he marvelled that the [ Slates had been able to get through at all. The fund, he pointed out, was j I built up on the money contributed by i , the people, and was in this case di- | rectly contributed. As taxation was j extended the source of supply was shortened, bringing many men to the I borderline to-day. Small as the relief I i may appear, many people who contributed the taxation were little better | off than the unemployed. All his sym- j pathies were with the unemployed. | The first object cf the Board, he said, was —will this scheme make the man under it better or worse? The second one, on the principle that all relief should, be worked for was—to what best use can the labour of the men be put? While the third, the most difficult, was —how can we use that labour without deteriorating the men themselves and undermining the stamina of the people of the country? In the cities there were acute prices, and that was why they were on the i different scale to the country. The men's manhood must be maintained, j he asserted. The problem was not- so j serious outside the four cities. j

The Board had no object except to administer the fund as fairly as possible, stated Mr. Jessep. Taking Stratford, he assured them that the basis was the same as elsewhere. The scale laid down as the maximum should have been accepted as what they should get, but from the fund they could not get it. Several thousand men were put off the Public Works and came on to the funds. The numbers for Stratford for tour months had been fairly stable, and there had been an increase in the allocation. He quoted the figures and stated that they were absolutely in as good, if not better, position than other places. With the Hospital Board and this fund, they ought to reach the most necessitous cases. The people had to get out of the habit of believing that the relief was wages, or sufficient to maintain a man, his wife and family on the scale they w,ere used to, because, it could not be done. If it could, what inducement was there

■ to get off it? Mr, Jessep spoke of the position between the Hospital Boards and the Unemployment Board. In connection with the borderline cases, lie asked that the certifying officer and the Hospital Board should deal with it as equitably as possible.. Ho said that the taxation did not come into .May and :.':; millions was being spent even before it was all available There was a subsidy of I.', millions from tin- Consolidated Fund. The total subsidy and the tax was estimated at. 3J millions, there having been an increase of threequartors of a. million.

Continuing, Mr. Jessep said the Hospital Boards were carrying out the relief and it was really the Unemployed Board's responsibility. ~.,The, greatest care must be exercised or the unci would run away with itself.

Depression in Industry Mr. Jessep spoke of the disastrous effect of the depression on industry, mentioning, the sawmilling and building industries. Public works had been stopped, and the villages which had grown up formed a very difficult problem. Problems of that character had to be faced by the Board. The remedy would come from the other side of the world, said Mr. Jessep, but they must try not to build up a system which would be difficult to withdraw from. It was well to remember in the interests of the men that the five per cent, making capital out of the position did not represent the bulk of the men. He could not on the figures promise them an increase in the allocation, as these did not warrant it.

In conclusion Mr. Jessep thanked all for meeting him and presenting their case.

Itinerant Unemployed

The Mayor referred to the problem of the itinerant men who were unregistered. The council had to take over all employable men, but he asked whether the council's responsibility dealt only with registered men or shculd they be sent, to the hospital. Mr. Jessep said the moneys were confined to the relief of registered unemployed and that was the council's responsibility only. In reply to Mr. Kennedy, Mr. Jessep said under special needs the Hospital B:ard might be called on to deal with large numbers. The men were the board's care, and if it was an increasing care, seme special needs would have to be provided. The burden could be shifted, but it would not be lightened, be assured Mr .Kennedy. in reply to Mr. Holmes, Mr. Jessep quoted the allocations in the cities — single men got 2 days at 7s Gd a day; a married man with wife, 21 days al 10s; a married man with one child, 3 days at 10s;. a married man with 2 children. 3 1 days at 10s; a married man with 3 or more children, 4 days at 10s.' That, was given every week. Mr. M'cDcnald said that personally bis wife and child and self had to live on £1 a week, and it was impossible to do so. Alleged Result of Violence Since the disturbances in the cities the men were put on a better basis, as the result, it seemed, of unlawful acts, said Mr. McDonald. Mr. Jessep: I am. sorry such a view should be prevalent. "You can't pay rent with vegetables," said Mr. Hlclmes. "I grant you that," said Mr. Jessep. "Rent is one of the greatest difficulties we are faced with." Mr. Jessep said he understood the matter would be dealt With next session of Parliament. The action taken by some landlords was easily calculated to cause undue distess. Violence Does Not Pay

"The inference that it paid to break windows should be cleared up," said Mr. Skuse. Mr. Jessep said he would be sorry to have that view become general. Tbe people were law abiding. They made their own laws which could be al. tered, but not broken. The disturb. ances were net the work of the unemployed, and the authorities knew who caused them. It was unfortunate for the good name of New Zealand that the unemployed were blamed for them. 4a Scheme Mr. Kennedy spoke of the 4a scheme, which he supported as a grod one, and believed it would be the best for the country, as the men were taken from the towns and the cost to the Unemployment Board was not so great.

Mr Jessep said all the 4a contracts would be reviewed, but the board wanted to get as many men into positions as possible. The single man with £25 in his pocket at the end of the year was in a better position than the "married man. So far as possible, the board looked tin the men getting Ihe benefit to contribute not to ho fund, but to those employed. Wherever the board could get men to carry out experimental wprk—not work thai, would be done in any case —support would be given to them, as the unemployed would be benefitted. Nearly half a million pounds oil' work. Nearly halt a million pounds of works was coming before the hoard tn was to !)e done, or extra work, their assistance would be welcomed. The Mayor thanked Mr, Jessep for his roply, !M which .must be ...accepted recognising that the allocate n could not lie increased, and that the unom. nloyed were receiving as much as if the city allocation was applied here There was some dissent. The Mayor: Well, the conditions in the city such a.s the non-pcssibility of growing vegetables and securing firewood, makes the position here as good as in the cities. Air. Holmes regretted that Mr. Jes.

sep could hoi offer them something better. Ht> did nict agree with the Mayor's remarks. Mr. Jessep had not bum! definitely that Stratford ■ could not gel anything further. I£ that wa P -o, he (Mr. Holmes) would protest as he did not agree that was so. The Mayor: That is what we must accept as the dictum laid down by Mr. Jessep.

The Mayor thanked the members if the deputation for their attendance and the meeting ended. : Mr. Jegsep later conferred will' the members of the Women's Relief Com. mittee and Self-llelp Club,