RELIEF WORK IN COUNTRY

Taranaki Daily News, 27 January 1934, Page 10

RELIEF WORK IN COUNTRY

CITIES ALLEGEDLY FAVOURED. CASE OF HAWERA APPLICANT. The case of a married man from Hawera who says he was refused admission to the Pio Pio relief camp is being discussed. He had hoped for assistance to enable him to go on a small farm at Hawera, but he received a letter from the Hon. E. A. Ransom, Minister of Lands, intimating that he could enter the camp near Pio Pio with the prospect of securing one of the sections there. "Men who show themselves suited for the purpose will be selected from those employed,” stated the Minister. "Wages will be paid in accordance with the following scale: Married men with wife only, 355; married men with wife and one child, 37s 6d; married men with wife and two children, 40s; married men with wife and three or more children, 455. Cost of food at the camp is estimated at 9s per week.” Subsequently the Hawera man was’informed that only city unemployed were eligible for the camp, and the only reason given for the rejection of his application was that the city scale of relief work wages was higher than in the country and it would not do for one section of relief workers in the camp to be paid at a lower rate than another section.

The camp has now been established, and, so far as can be ascertained, none of the men engaged are country men, although the Minister, in reply to a question raised in Parliament last session in this connection by Mr. H. G. Dickie, M.P., gave an assurance that the work would be shared by country and city relief workers equally. The wages payable to a man with a wife and three children (45s per week without stand-down week) compare more than favourably with the maximum earnings of a corresponding C class man at Hawera, who receives approximately 35s per week for each of three weeks out of four, an average over the month of under 27s per week. \

PLUNKET WORK AT PATEA. FIGURES FOR DECEMBER. Prior to the commencement of business at the monthly meeting of the Patea Plunket Society Mrs. C. V. Herbert was welcomed by the president, Mrs. R. Haddow, as a new member of the committee. Appreciation of the Waitotara subbranch’s fine spirit in forwarding £2 17s in excess of the annual levy was expressed by members. It was decided .to credit the sub-branch account with the excess sum towards next year’s levy. A letter of appreciation is to be sent to Waitotara. The need for improved facilities in the kitchen of .the town hall supper room was expressed by the secretary. It was decided that other local societies which make use of thb room be approached with a view to submitting proposals for improvements to the borough council through a representative deputation. The nurse, Miss G. Tomkins, submitted a report for December which stated, inter alia: Older children on books, 38; new cases, mothers 1, babies 1; visits to office, 5 day, adults 56, babies 47, children 11, total 114; visits to homes, old 23, new 3; visits to outstations, 12 days, adults 136, babies 122, children 24, total 282. SWIMMING AT HAWERA. RESULTS OF CLUB EVENING. The Hawera Swimming Club’s evening yesterday resulted:— Junior girls’'so yards: Miss L. Hannah 3s 1, Miss E. Carmichael scr 2, Miss D. Kelsen 2s 3. Intermediate girls’ 50 yards: Miss G. Bernard 3s 1, Miss B. Smith scr. 2, Miss Beamish 6s 3. Junior 100 yards: I. Taylor 10s 1, A. Buist scr -2, B. Walsh 10s 3. Intermediate 50 yards: M. Chadwick 8s 1, E. Ryan 8s 2, G. Hopcroft Is 3. Ladies’ 50 yards: Miss S. Seaver 10s, 1, Miss C. Marsh 4s 2, Miss B. Smith 2s 3; time 445. Men’s 50 yards: S. Gorman 2s 1, L. George 3s and R. Clarke scr 2; time 31s. 50 yards breaststroke: Miss Seaver 1, Miss Oliver 2, Miss Smith 3; time 455. GENERAL ITEMS. Failure to Pay Levies. Robert Bruce Gordon was charged at the Opunake Police Court yesterday for the non-payment •of unemployment levies. The case had been adjourned from a previous sitting and it was reported that the amount had now been paid. A conviction was recorded and Gordon ordered to pay 19s 6d costs. Magdalene Vinnen Passenger. Mr. J. Edmondston, Hawera, will be a passenger on the sailing ship Magdalene Vinnen on the voyage from Auckland to New Plymouth. The ship bears a cargo of guano for Hodder and Tolley, Ltd., Hawera.- During the vessel’s stay at New Plymouth she will be visited by the wera Boy Scouts. PERSONAL ITEMS. Sympathy with the relatives of the late Messrs. G. Hunter, Waverley, and R. J. McCormack, Mangatoki, was expressed by the general committee of the Egmont A.- and P. Association yesterday. Mr. T. King, Okaiawa, after 12 weeks spent in the Hawera hospital, has recovered sufficiently to leave the institution. Mr. G. H. J. Boesley, who has been on the clerical staff at the Hawera railway station for five years, has been appointed stationmaster at Opua. The absence owing to illness of Cr. Lewis from last night’s meeting of the Eltham Borough Council was referred to by the Mayor (Mr. I. J. Bridger), who expressed the sympathy of the councillors. KAPONGA PICTURES. “HORSE FEATHERS” TO-NIGHT.

Having given the public just about enough time to recover from successive pokes in the ribs, the Four Marx Brothers have gone to town again, this time in a concoction appropriately enough called “Horse Feathers.” It will be on view at the Kaponga Theatre tonight. Nowhere is there anything even remotely resembling “Horse Feathers.” It is about the most insanely delirious thing that has ever been shown. It has neither rhyme nor reason, except to make audiences laugh until the tears roll.