“WORK FOR ALL”

Taranaki Daily News, 30 January 1931, Page 9

“WORK FOR ALL”

MAJOR SCHEME EVOLVED . I' • A FEW DAYS IN EVERY WEEK £150,000 MADE AVAILABLE DETAILS' NEAR COMPLETION -■ WORK ON FARMS INCLUDED \ „ By Telegraph.—Press Association. •. _ . Wellington, Last Night. Authorisation for the expenditure of - £150,000 by the Unemployment Board upon what is considered to be the first of its major schemes was given to-day by the Prime, Minister in his capacity as Minister of Finance. This announcement was made by him after he had met a deputation from the unemployed. It is hoped by the board that when the scheme is put into operation it will be possible ■ to find at least a few days’ work each week for every man at present unemployed in New Zealand. '

Referring to the scheme after the Prime Minister had spoken the. Minister ’ of Labour, the Hon. S. G. Smith, who is ’also chairman of the board, said it was only fair to the . board to state that there., were some details riot finally arranged. As soon as they had been completed a full statement on the plan would be made and he thought everyone Would then ag ree that the best had.

been done by „ the board to find some work for every unemployed person for every week of the year. As Soon as the details of the scheme had been completed it would be possible for steps to be taken in every part of New Zealand to see to-every man out of work and to assure, every man that he would secure a certain amount of work each week to help him over a difficult period. A member of the deputation asked if the boatd would take into account a _ man’s, physical disability. The Minister said he hoped it Would be possible ; to assist every' man, even if it .were physically impossible for him to undertake>hard work’. However, it should j‘ ba understood that the Act whs riot one for the provision of invalids’ pensions. An interjector assured the Minister " that the deputation undersood this arid ■ that the difficulty-bf meeting-the whole position was fully appreciated. The Minister said thb J £mrird had under < consideration the question of farm Work as part of the scheme and he hoped • single men would take advantage of this. They might raise objections to the rates i of pay-but they should take the work as a temporary expedient, for it would provide them with employment, a home and good food. Some bf the farms would be specially selected in order to make ... certain, that the. men sent to them re- . reived a “fair deal.” The scheme was ; an earnest attempt by the board to ■ meet the problem. Under it . a single man would receiVb according io his wants equal opportunity with the married man. 1 Th© bofcrd Would announce the details | in the next few days and it was hoped ■■ that ' ftill co-operation would be received from every quarter.

“COOPERATION NECESSARY”

ENCOURAGING HELP RECEIVED. • ' MINISTER' URGES CLEAR THINKING. By Tel«fcr4pH.—Freafe Wellington, January 29. The chairman of the Unemployment Board, the'Hon. S. G. Smith, .in.a statement to-day said the board was receiving very encouraging help from a large majority of the local committees in various parts of the Dominion and, now that members had become familiar with the conditions under which Subsidies were granted, co-ordination between the board and the committees was mote effective, “St is becoming increasingly evident,” Mr. Smith said, “that whatever reduction of unemployment is possible largely rest?;On the complete co-operation of the local committees and local bodies with the board, The essential fact to be noted by all local bodies and local committees in applying for grants is that the work miist be. such as would-.not otherwise be‘'selected from the ranks of the registered unemployed.” Mr. Smith points out that the board cannot produce money by waving a wand and indicates .to local bodies that a little A clear -.thinking will result ih a better 'reiliShtidn of the facts. With local fcomihittees, local bodies and the board working as one uhit with one clear aim, there should very soon be a marked re-. /■ duction in the tothl of unemployed.

NUMBER 2 SCHEME NOT ABUSED.

SUBSIDIES ON ESSENTIAL WORK. • .Wellington, ; . Last ; Night. The .chairman of. the Unemployment Board, the Hoti. S. G. Smith, states the belief ;in .’.some - quarters that echeme No’. 2 (providing for a £, for £ subsidy:, on, wages ; prily, the subsidy not to exceed 7s a day and the’ employer and employee to, fix the rate of wages) will be abused has not been realised. The chief concern of the board in introducing the scheme was to provide tvork. for men who wanted it. In this it ha* been entirely successful. - The work has generally been of an essential natufe and has had the approval of the local committees concerned. By this means thousands of unemployed contributors to the levy were given a certain. amount of work that otherwise would not have been available. This necessarily involved rationing because it wa* the desire of the Unemployment Board to extend the benefit of the scheme- to a* many men as possible. It appeared to the board to be more satisfactory to subsidise the private individual’s contribution and spend it on necessary work than to take the whole of the money from the fund for expenditure on scheme* that were neither reproductive ribr essential. BARKERS’ UNION VIEW OF ACT. REPEAL NOT YET SUPPORTED. Wellington, Last Night. "..’’Criticism of the Unemployment Board’s policy was made at the meeting of the Dominion executive of the Farmers’ Union to-day, when an Auckland remit that the executive take steps to have the Act repealed was considered. Although fault was found with the administration of. the Act, consensus of opinion was that it had been in operation hardly long enough to -warrant judgment being passed on it. The motion in favour of its being repealed was lost, 1