END OF THE DOLE

Taranaki Daily News, 27 May 1933, Page 7

END OF THE DOLE

NEW SOUTH WALES CHANGE. NO PAY WITHOUT WORK. The end of the dole system in New South Wales has come. The present Government will not continue it. The Bavin Ministry, with a few thousand men out of employment decided against the dole and provided men with work. A correspondent says "The scheme was not altogether successful, but the work was in the nature of an experiment and the plan could have been improved on the 3d in the pound wages tax. The Lang Government came into power. It disapproved of giving men work, and increased the wages tax to Is in the pound. In less than two years there were 150,000 people drawing the dole. Even then they were not happy. There were continual complaints and demands. The Stevens Government in nine months has wiped oUt the 50,000. But the dole has been a big problem. Everywhere there is evidence of disinterest in getting away from the dole. Thousands of men have lost their punch and their desire to do anything more than hold their hands out for the coupons or the money that has been allotted to them. The disinclination to work is reflected in many homes where there is absolute neglect. Men who prided themselves on their gardens when times were good have allowed them to get into neglect, not even growing vegetables to eke out the dole.

“A close study of the psychology of the unemployed has given the Government an idea that men would sooner work for the money they receive. A scheme has been drawn up whereby the municipalities or shires in which the unemployed live will provide the work and the Government will provide the money, paying the men more than they would receive if they were living on the dole, and giving them the right to spend it as they choose. A single man get rations which cost 5s 4-jd eweek, and they have managed to live on it. Under the new system the man will be expepted to work for six hours and will receive 9s 4|d. Married men without children receive dole relief to the extent of 8s 2-Jd a week. Under the new scheme there will b a 10 hours’ work and 15s 7d in payment. And so the scale goes on until it reached married men with six or seven children, who have been receiving relief costing 25s 2d a week. The former will work 22 hours and receive £1 14s 3d, and the latter 24 hours, for which there will be a payment of £1 17s sd. Approximately the wage works out at £3 14s for a 48-hour week.”