BOARD’S RULING

Taranaki Daily News, 14 March 1935, Page 15

BOARD’S RULING

NO PARK MAINTENANCE. CONCERN IN BOROUGH COUNCIL. The New Plymouth Borough Council is somewhat perturbed at information received at its meeting yesterday from the Unemployment Board giving a ruling on conditions under which unemployed labour may be used by it. Following the council’s recent discussion on the maintenance of parks and. reserves, the board advised that it was not prepared to sanction the use of scheme 5 labour in maintaining parks and reserves, even though the council gave an undertaking that the diversion of relief labour to such work would not result in the displacement of labour ordinarily employed. The council decided to make application to the board for permission to employ in the parks men who were not physically fit for employment at heavy labour on other jobs. “I know,” said one councillor, “numerous men who would prefer to work rather than be on sustenance. The definition seems clear, if the terms of the letter are carried out. These men will have to go on to sustenance.” “If we are employing labour contrary to the regulations then the sooner we know about it the better,” said Cr. P. E. Stainton. “The whole thing seems to call for the appointment of a special committee to meet the unemployment committee and get a definition of the position. If B class men cannot be employed on parks work, then they will have to go on sustenance.” Mr. F. T. Bellringer: I think it should be made clear that this is the board’s new scheme. Cr. F. S. Grayling: Does the Unemployment Board prefer to have these men on sustenance? . Mr. Bellringer: I think there is a good reason' behind the move. The board wants to get rid of unemployment as much as possible by forcing local bodies to do their maintenance work with fulltime staffs. The borough has been more particular than most in the class of work given relief workers. For instance, the stock route might not have been done for many years if relief labour had not been made available. The work in parks has been done only by men not fit to go on the heavy work on the stock route. Cr. Stainton said that the principle of not depriving anyone of permanent work had been most strictly adhered to. He moved that the finance committee refer the matter to the unemployment committee for a definite ruling. Cr. S. J. Smith said that as far as the works committee was concerned, the principle involved had certainly been observed. “Why has the letter come at this juncture?” he asked. “We have done our very best.” A suggestion by the town clerk that definite application be made to the board for permission to use B and C class men in parks was then agreed to.