UNEMPLOYED ON FARMS

Taranaki Daily News, 2 August 1932, Page 8

UNEMPLOYED ON FARMS

MEN FOR THE “HIGHEST BIDDER.” REGULATIONS TO BE KEPT. That the highest bidder gets what he wants even when the employment of relief workers is involved, was demonstrated last night at the meeting of the Stratford Unemployment Committee, which did not take any steps to take relief workers from certain farmers in the Midhirst district who have had relief men for a long period, to the dissatisfaction of other farmers who want the same men but who do not offer them any form of subsidy. The secretary, Mr. S. Spence, said he had investigated the cases and found that the farmers in question were subsidising the men to such an extent that they naturally did not want to go to other farmers who would not or could not offer similar subsidies. Mr. M. G. Trotter thought that if one farmer could aflord to subsidise three relief workers he was able to employ one man permanently and thus take him off the unemployment register. If the farmer were asked to do that he would probably refuse and the men would have to return to the town, Mr. A. Nelson remarked. No action was taken. Applications were received from single men seeking exemption from the Pnblie Works camps now being organised in Taranaki. The chairman, Mr. T. R. Anderson, said he thought age' should exempt a man, but he did not consider younger men, up to, say, 40 years, should receive exemption on any grounds other than a doctor’s certificate. ' It was resolved to adhere to the regulations.