LEVY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1932, Page 2

LEVY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT

REQUEST BY RELIEF WORKERS. DIFFICULTIES IN EXEMPTION. By Telegraph.—Press Association. Wellington, August 11. A request that the payment of the unemployment levy by relief workers should be waived on the ground of hardship was made to the Acting-Minister of Employment, Mr. Adam Hamilton, yesterday by a relief workers’ deputation. The deputation was received privately, but an official statement was issued subsequently on behalf of the Unemployment Board. The Minister said he could and did appreciate the difficulties of unemployed men, and he assured them of his and the board’s sympathies in their troubles. He was quite prepared to help wherever possible, but had to confess that remission of the levy was not an easy matter. It might appear, he pointed out, that there were many, thousands of employed. men who, especially when on rationed work, would receive little more and sometimes less than those who were on relief work. These had not only to pay quarterly levy, but also had to pay the emergency unemployment charge of Is. in the £l. As a ■matter of equity those persons would also have to. be exempted, and the board’s income would suffer a further fall.

He pointed out that to grant the deputation’s request would itself mean decreasing the relief workers’ fund by £lOO,OOO, or more. He also said there were difficulties, and that amendment of the Act would be necessary to give effect to the deputation’s request-