UNEMPLOYMENT.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXV, Issue 18536, 5 April 1930, Page 19 (Supplement)

UNEMPLOYMENT.

RATE FOR RELIEF WORK SUGGESTED. By Telegraph—Press Association. DUNEDIN. April 4. Recommending that during the incoming year provision should be made for special expenditure on a class of work that would, in ordinary circumstances, be done out of loan money, if such money were available, to the extent of £15.000, plus any amount forthcoming by way of Government subsidy, the special committee set up by the City Council to consider the question of providing further assistance by way of unemployment relief, reports that it is obvious that there is a distinct limit to borrowing activity, and the only means of providing the necessary funds is by a special advance in the general rate. The sum suggested to be borrowed would call for a rate of 3d in the £, making the general rate 2/3 compared with 2/- last year. DUNEDIN COMPLAINT. REPLY BY MINISTER. By Telegraph—Pres* Association. WELLINGTON. April 4. Commenting on a statement by Mr J. W. Munro, M.P., that Dunedin had not received a fair share of unemployment expenditure by the Railway Department, and that all extra men at Hillside Workshop had been dismissed before Christmas, the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways stated to-day that from 30th October to Ist March last £32,737 or over 20 per cent of the total amount, was spent in the Dunedin District. The position as regard to extra hands was that on December 23, there were 112 additional tradesmen and 40 unskilled men at the workshop. Of these, only 35 tradesmen were released, and seven had since been engaged again. On March 29th these were 26 additional tradesmen and 34 unskilled men at Hillside, in addition at that date 25 additional tradesmen and 106 unskilled men were on other railway works in the vicinity of Dunedin. As a result of investigations by a Public Works Officer, the Public Works Department would place additional men there. FIFTY MEN TO BE GIVEN WORK. By Telegraph—-Pres* Association. DUNEDIN, April 4. The Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways, yesterday received from the Minister of Public Works (Mr E. A. Ransom), a telegram stating he had that day received an interim report from an officer of his Department who is investigating the employment position In Dunedin, and as a result he had instructed the officer, before he leaves Dunedin, to place fifty additional men on present relief works there. Mr Ransom added that the matter would be further gone into on receipt of the officer’s full report.