RELIEF CAMP AT URENUI

Taranaki Daily News, 6 March 1934, Page 6

RELIEF CAMP AT URENUI

IMPROVEMENTS TO HILL SOON FORTY MEN TO BE EMPLOYED. WORK TO COMMENCE SHORTLY. Work for about 40 unemployed New Plymouth men will be provided shortly when the Urenui relief camp is opened. The Urenui hill with its steep grade and sharp bends has been a bugbear to the motoring public on the Taranaki section of the Wellington-Auckland main highway, but as a result of the efforts of the Clifton County Council a long-deferred scheme of improvement will soon be begun. Under the contract system arranged by the Unemployment Board 40 C class men—unemployed married men with three or more children under 16 years of age —will go into camp at Urenui. The men will be drawn almost entirely from New Plymouth, the only exceptions being a few Waitara men. The Labour Department at New Plymouth has engaged to find the men required as soon as the Cilfton County Council has completed preparations for the camp. Temporary delay has been caused by the fact that all tents required had to be ordered from the makers—none suitable being available —but the full equipment is expected to be at hand within a week or two, and an immediate start will be made. Mr. N. C. Fookes, Clifton county engineer told a Daily News reporter that he anticipated the camp would be ready for occupation within two or three weeks.

The rates of pay have been so fixed that the average worker should be able to earn 10s a day. The men will be divided into two groups of 20 each, one squad at a time being employed. They will work six full days a week for a period of six weeks, during which time their earnings will be £3 a week. For the succeeding six weeks the first squad will be stood down in favour of the second, and during that period of inaction the men will be allowed to accept any work whatever without penalty. Although pay will be about £3 weekly, that sum will not be actually available immediately, but will be distributed over the whole 12 weeks. Thus while they are working the men will draw regularly £1 15s a week as progress payment, and during their stand-down period will draw weekly one-sixth of the balance owing. That will mean that in the event of the men having earned the full £3 a week they will receive £1 15s a week for each week of employment and £1 5s during each week of the stand-down period. Though no definite time has been fixed for the duration of the work, it is possible that the improvements may take about 12 months to complete. For their stand-down week the men will be transported back to their homes.