CANNOT AFFORD THE LEVY

Taranaki Daily News, 6 December 1930, Page 9

CANNOT AFFORD THE LEVY

WIRELESS, WITHOUT MONEY.

PROVISION FOR NEEDY CASES.

“We know there are many people walking about New Plymouth to-day who haven’t a shilling in their pockets and io cannot find the money to pay tne Te».y under, the .Act,” said' Mr.,S. Vickers at the local body ‘conference on un nnlcyment at New Plymouth last night. “Canuot some provision, be inafle to pay tho levy for them and take the-7s 63 out of the first wages they receive when put on relief work?” he askbd . • . ... “A sort of mortgage on their souls,” suggested Mr. Green. It was a fact, ■said Mr. Vickers. There were many people in that position. His experience jon the Hospital Board had shown him what poverty there was. If a married man earned, say, £2 Ips one wec.c and then was out of work for a. period he could never get ahead of .his debts, which were accruing all the time fo: support of himself, his wife and his children. c Tho subject under discussion by the coni'-- nee at tho moment was whether the local committee could apply the benefitn of the Act to a man who had not paid his levy. . -. , Mr. F. T. Bellringer said Mr. Vickers idea was that an employer should be abl to engage such men and deduct 7s 8d from their wages afterwards. Mr. H. V, S. Griffiths considered there were risks attached to such a provision. Mr. x>eilringer Said the conference might recommend that, notwithstanding the provisions of the Act, the amount or th vy could, be deducted!, by the employer from the man’s first pay. Mr. Connett: That might encourage people to postpone paying their 7s 6d until, being unemployed, ' they obtain work under the provisions of the ,Act. Mr. H. E. Blyde suggested Mr. Bellringer’s suggestion should, apply to the first for ting'- 1 only. ' , “As Mr. Vickers says, there are numbers of men in the town who have not a penny in the world,” said Mr. .P. . -E. Stainton. “They are really the men who have first claim to work. Otherwise th£iy will be thrown on to the Hospital Board.” - . . ' There was a number of genuine cases of poverty, he continued, and some provis n must be made to give them work. The question was .whether the committee could give them all work within the fortnight suggested by Mr. BI He bad. received a telegram that day regarding a man with a wife and four children, said’ Mr.. Vickers. This man had been unemployed for four months but Jiad never made an application for relief to any body concerned with-such m - ■ rs. “He is . not applying for relief now,” continued Mr. Griffiths, “but is asking for work that will obviate the necessity for. him asking, for relief. J W. Palmer: But he must have had relief of a kind, in the form of being carried .financially by grocers, bakers d butchers. “I • take. it,” -said Mr. Griffiths, that they have been living on their savings blit have now come id the end of their tGtllt! I*. 5 * ■■'■■•..• Mr. Vickers said that under the new scheme al! must get work; There would bo no discrimination. , That was not correct, said Mr.. Stamton. No man had .an absolute right to sustenance under the Act. Mr. Vickers: Well, I have not read the ;t aright. . “But it is sb,” said Mr. Stainton. “Otherwise, it becomes' n dole.” ' Mr. W- J. Winfield mentioned that the ur • r’oyment levy did not have to .be paid ti>l December . 31, which would give tho • men unfler ■ discussion a fortnight still which to .’pay. It was' therefore decided that it would not'be necessary .to adopt the suggestion, of Mr. Bellringer for the first