RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 21 March 1934, Page 6

RELIEF OF UNEMPLOYMENT

ADMINISTRATION OF FUNDS CONTROL OF DEPARTMENT URGED. GREATER EFFICIENCY POSSIBLE. HOPE TO REDUCE REGISTRATIONS. Proposing the toast to the Public Works Department following the opening of the Mangaehu bridge yesterday, Mr. L. Bunn threw out the suggestion that much of the dissatisfaction at present apparent in the administration, of the unemployment problem would disappear if the fund was handed over to the Public Works Department to administer. In replying to the toast, Mr. P. Keller, district engineer of the department, referred to the same matter, saying he believed that if some simple scheme, based either on piece work or on contract, were adopted at ruling wages he had no hesitation in saying that the department could administer the unemployment fund and spend the money to good purpose. The rates of pay ruling at present would have to remain so as not to tempt outside men to come in and swell the number already registered as unemployed. If such a scheme was adopted he believed the number of unemployed in New Zealand would drop by at least one-third.

Mr. Keller’ said he felt that many men receiving unemployment assistance, today were never better off in their lives. “It is no good saying one thing and meaning another,” he went on. “You know, and so do I, that some of these men previously worked only to an extent sufficient to earn money beer and tobacco.” There was also the matter of natives figuring on the unemployment lists, he continued. To-day everyone in the class he had indicated became registered and received the allocation to which he was entitled. If, on the other hand, a simple scheme under the guidance of the Pub*lie Works Department were generally adopted the employer of labour would be forced to go on the open market and thus further tend to alleviate the position.