ORGANISED LOCAL HELP

Taranaki Daily News, 29 November 1930, Page 6

ORGANISED LOCAL HELP

IMMEDIATE RELIEF WORK UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD'S SCHEME. CONDITIONS OF SUBSIDY FLAN. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, Ixtst Night. The Unemployment Board in furtherance of its drive to afford some relief to those suffering through unemployment before Christmas invites in a statement forwarded to the Press the cooperation of all local unemployment committees and urges the setting up of such committees where they do not already exist. The board suggests that the constitution of such committees should be representative of the .following organisations: Local governing authorities, hospital and charitable aid boards, Red Cross societies, religious bodies, all social organisations assisting in the relief of unemployment or distress arising therefrom, labour organisations, employers’ associations, manufacturers’ associations, returned soldiers’ associations, representatives of the Legislature and the Labour. Department, with power do add as determined by the committee itself.

Each committee can help: (1) By,collecting and collating information affecting the problem of unemployment in its area. (2) By organising individual effort on the part of citizen# whereby they will find temporary work, even if only for a few days at a time, on farms, gardens or other similar avenues. (3) By co-operating with and assisting the existing social organisations which are administering relief with a view to relieving temporarily the distress caused through unemployment, and affording the board time to explore fully the possibilities of stimulating productive employment as well as organising 'machinery which will be needed if it be found necessary to pay sustenance under the Act where employment cannot be found. The board is considering a proposal to provide a limited amount of money to subsidise work organised through these local committees on the basis of ;£1 for £1 on wages only. If all avenues ard fully exploited the board hopes that every unemployed worker willing and able to work will get some employmeiit during December and January. The board desires to emphasise that the operations of local cominittfees ififist be organised without any cost to the board.

In regard to the subsidies offered by the Uiiemployment Board to tide oyer the Christmas season in districts Where unemployment is acute the board, to obviate any misapprehension which ntay exist, desires to state that, the amount offered, £25,000, Is the total amount for all districts, and the allocations ill the various districts will be made by the board according to their need at an early meeting as soon as applications have been received and can be considered. It has been pointed out that either t(ie certificate of registration dr 'the coupon booklet may be accepted by an employer as proof of an employee’s registration.