TOO ATTRACTIVE?

Taranaki Daily News, 28 November 1934, Page 9

TOO ATTRACTIVE?

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF. FARM WORK IGNORED. Auckland, Nov. 25. Convinced that there is an increasing amount of private work available, for many men who are now being entirely supported from its funds, the Unemployment Board is making an effort to direct portion of the Dominion’s surplus labour back to normal channels of employment. Already in the Auckland province certifying officers in the country districts, who in most cases are local postmasters, are being instructed to refuse relief work to all single men who appear to be capable of doing farm work. It has been asserted frequently that single men have been showing prefer[ence for relief work, although there has ! been a demand for farm labour which I has remained unsatisfied. Farmers are now being requested to make their needs known to their* local certifying office**, who is in touch with the labour available. It is claimed by many employers that work under several of the relief schemes has been made too attractive, and that while men are content to rely on the Unemployment Board for the whole of their means of subsistence, farmers and others who require labour are being handicapped in the development of their industries. The extent of the demand for farm labour is indicated by the number of land owners who are seeking assistants in the open market. Each week there are scores of advertisements in the daily newspapers offering employment to farm hands at rates ranging from 15s to 25s and 30s. SUSPENSION IN SUMMER. The suspension of relief in the summer months as far as single men are concerned has been put forward as one means of making this labour available to farmers, and the instructions given to certifying officers should go a long way toward meeting the position. It is under-

stood that as further means of assisting the primary industries, the Unemployment Board has decided to give preference to land development and that in the future single men on the unemployment register are likely to be concentrated on this kind of employment.

The position in the cities is somewhat different. In Auckland the only-single men on relief are those who have been certified as unfit for manual labour or as fit only for light work. During the past year there has been a considerable reduction in the amount of work which local bodies can provide for the large number of unemployed available, with the result that many of these men are now on sustenance. Despite this position many citizens who can offer temporary or casual employment such as house painting and gardening complain that they cannot get the labour they require and are at a loss to understand why this should be so when there are so many men out of regular employment. “Although unemployment has occupied the attention of officers of the Labour Deparrment during the last year or two, wc. still think that our main j<sb is to bring private employers and available labour together,” said Mr. W. Slaughter, officer in charge of the Auckland office of the department, when this aspect of the question was referred to him. He said that much more 'Quid be done in placing men in work if employers would make more use o* the Government employment bureau controlled by his department. He said that a number of men were being, found positions by this way each week, and this service could be greatly extended if ■ employers would make their wants known. Men now on sustenance were entitled to supplement their income by taking private employment, and he and his officers would be glad of the opportunity of putting them in touch with prospective employers..