RELIEF WORKS SUBSIDY

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1930, Page 13

RELIEF WORKS SUBSIDY

HELP FOR LOCAL BODIES BOROUGHS .TO HAVE £2 FOR £l. PROVISION FOR SPECIAL PROJECTS By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Last Night. The Prime Minister (the Hon. G. W. Forbes) announced to-day that the Government had decided to improve the basis on which State subsidy is payable in respect of unemployment relief works undertaken in urban and suburban districts, i.e., cities, boroughs, etc. In the past tho Government lias subsidised the labour costs on unemployment relief works on the basis of £1 for £l, ■but in future the subsidy will be increased to £2 for £l. This increase is for the purpose of encouraging local bodies to provide relief works adjacent to the workers’ homes and thus obviate as far as possible the necessity for sending married men with large families to unemployment relief works in the country. Where the number of unemployed in a district is sufficient to justify the local body undertaking special relief works State subsidy of £2 for £1 based on the standard relief wages of 14s per day will be paid on labour costs in respect of moneys borrowed for the solo purpose of unemployment relief, provided the works on which such moneys are to be expended have not been included in any schedule of works for which a loan has already been raised, and moneys expended from revenue on works of a capital nature undertaken expressly for the relief of unemployment. In the case of works undertaken from voluntary subscriptions the subsidy is £1 for £l, based on the expenditure on materials as well as labour, and is not limited to relief rates of pay. The foregoing subsidies apply to urban and suburbair districts. In rural districts (counties, road districts, etc) £1 for £1 subsidy is payable on materials as well as wages in respect of works undertaken from revenue, loans or voluntary subscriptions. Works which local bodies pro-pose to undertake with- public subscriptions and all works in rural districts must contain at least 60 per cent, of labour, as in these cases the subsidy is payable on both materials and wages. In addition to providing moneys to subsidise the relief works provided by local bodies the Government is also meeting the position by pushing ahead with public works and afforestation as far as funds will permit.