MUST HELP THEMSELVES

Taranaki Daily News, 22 December 1931, Page 7

MUST HELP THEMSELVES

POSITION OF RELIEF WORKERS. STRATFORD SCHEME ENDORSED. The Unemployment Board has decided that after January 1 it will be made a condition of relief that workers have attempted to help themselves by cultivating, in their own time areas of land for the growing of vegetables. That the success of the scheme initiated by the Stratford Self Help Club has been responsible for this step being taken is shown by the fact that with the circular letter containing the proposal is forwarded a copy of the rule under which the Stratford scheme is worked, which it is stated, might be of same use in considering the matter. -At the meeting of the Whangamomona County Council yesterday the circular was received from the deputy-chairman of the Unemployment Board (Mr. J. S. Jessup) stating that the Unemployment Board had been considering the necessity for workers to provide themselves as far as possible with the necessaries of life outside the relief contributed by the general public through the unemployment fund.. The Board intended, to -request workers on unemployment relief, as far as they were able, to help themselves. It was desired that steps -should be taken to see that workers cultivated in their own time areas of ground they were occupying, as owners or tenants, for the purpose of growing vegetables, thereby assisting to maintain themselves.

If . there was no land, however small, suitable, for growing vegetables attached to the house occupied by the relief worker, the board would appreciate local bofiies and committees endeavouring to secure for the use of workers vacant sections dr plots. The scheme had been voluntarily put into effect in various localities, notably Stratford, with very great benefit to the workers. Members of the council agreed that good work had been done at Stratford. The chairman, Mr. N. R. Cleland, stated that the majority of people had grown vegetables this year. Even farmers, who in the past had been lax in that direction, had grown vegetables.