PROVIDING WORK

Taranaki Daily News, 17 February 1933, Page 6

PROVIDING WORK

HINT OF NATIONAL PLANS MODIFIED DOLE POSSIBLE PROBLEM OF CITY WORKERS DEFENCE OF. SCHEME NO. 5 PUBLIC'-WORKS SUGGESTED (By Wire.—Parliamentary Reporter). Wellington, Last Night. An important hint that it might be found necessary in the near future to initiate schemes of national value as public works in the country in order to move unemployed men from the cities to the country was given ,by the Minister of Employment, the Hon. A. Hamilton, in the course of an. interview this evening. “It is not outside the pale of possibility that some modified system of dole payments may require to be instituted for those for whom work cannot be provided in the city or country,” the Minister remarked at the conclusion of a significant statement Mr. Hamilton was discussing criticism which has been directed against the No. 5 scheme on the ground that many works of a doubtful nature have been financed out of the unemployment fund, and he. made particular reference to suggestions that a change to the dole system, particularly in the cities, would be preferable. “There are undoubtedly two sides to that,” the Minister said. ‘'Apart from the four main centres not much difficulty is being experienced in directing relief labour to useful and reproductive work. Criticism of the No. 5 scheme is coming mainly from the large centres, and there is an unfortunate tendency to judge the operations of the scheme nationally on local experience. Even in doing this the critics are not always fair.” REPRODUCTIVE WORKS. The Prime Minister made reference to the Eastbourne sewerage and water work being undertaken by No. 5 scheme labour, subsidised by the borough, stating that this work could not have been done but for assistance by the Unemployment Board in supplying labour and meeting part of the wages cost, yet in face of undertakings of this nature there were people who asserted that a straight-out dole should be instituted. He said the board was at present gathering details of reproductive work now being done and which had' been done with No. 5 labour, and he hoped to make a detailed statement shortly. In meantime he deprecated any hasty conclusion being reached on the proposal to substitute the dole system for the No. 5 scheme. After quoting the case of the North Island country where exceptionally good work of a reproductive nature had been done in contrast with some jobs being carried out in the cities the Minister added: “The Unemployment Board at the present time is giving much thought to the position in the four main cities, where it is admitted the useful work that can be carried out without much capital expenditure is coming to an end. ■ It may so happen that works of national value will have to be started in the country as public works to accommodate some of the unemployed men from the cities, and it is not outside the pale of possibility that some modified system of dole payments may require to be instituted for those for whom work cannot be provided in the city or in the country. It is obvious, however, that, if we travel along , that line dole, payments cannot be maintained at the level at present .operating where work is -performed, or otherwise the work system in this country would very likely brea> down.”