UNEMPLOYMENT. COMMITTEE.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXIV, Issue 18852, 15 April 1931, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT. COMMITTEE.

ORDINARY MEETING. BOARD COMING TO TIMARU. The ordinary meeting of the South Canterbury Unemployment Committee was held last evening, and was attended by Mr W. Angland (chairman), Rev. Harold Peat, Messrs C. E. Kerr, P. R. Talbot, H. J. Mather, A. Goodall, J. E. Chiles, H. G. Naylor, T. Gunmon, K. McKenzie and P. B. Foote. At the commencement of the meeting. Mr McKessar explained that so far as the proposal to forward cards bo men engaged for work was concerned, the Unemployment Commissioner had referred this matter to the Labour Department, which had notified him that this scheme was not desirable on account of the cost involved. Respecting the question of youths under 20 years of age being employed under No. 5 scheme, Mr McKessar said that when Mr Hutchison, a member of the Unemployment Board, was in Timaru, he was asked if these youths could be employed under the No. 5 scheme, and he replied that they were entitled to such work. He had made the same statement in Christchurch. It had been suggested that local bodies paying youths engaged on work under the No. 5 scheme should be called upon for a refund of such money, but he had written pointing out that in view of the statement made by Mr Hutchison it was difficult to see how the Borough Council should be asked for a refund of the payments made. Mr McKessar said he had received a letter from Morven urging that employers and employees who had not paid their levy should not be allowed to have a vote. He also stated that he had received letters from farmers expressing appreciation of the work that was being done by young men sent to them. With respect to the present position, Mr McKessar said that he had received advice that owing to the straightened position of the Unemployment Board’s finances, certain restrictions had been placed upon the period that men should be employed. For instance, men entitled to four days I work a week were now to be reduced to three days, and the three-day men to two days. Comprehensive instructions were being framed, and regulations regarding No. 5 scheme had been drawn up. There was no question but that the amount of money to be earned by workers had been largely cut down. The chairman said the posi-

was that the Committee regarded as being respon-

sible for what was done, but he askecl how this could be so, since the Government had given Mr McKessar authority to allot the work offering. Mr McKessar: “I don't think that is the position. When this Committee was formed it appointed me its sole selector of men for the works offering. I rather objected to being saddled with the whole of the responsibility, asking to have the assistance of Mr Naylor and Mr Craig.”

Mr Naylor: “Is not that responsibility being placed upon your shoulders as a result of the circular from the Unemployment Board? If that is the case, there is very little use this Committee continuing to function.” Mr K. McKenzie: “How will we get on in the country?”

The Chairman: “You people in the country can select your own men, but at the present time there are 857 unemployed in the whole of South Canterbury, and of this total, Timaru has 518, which leaves 339 for the remainder of the district, excluding Waimate.” Mr McKessar: “All labour under the No. 5 scheme must be engaged through the local labour bureau or post office. The Chairman: “Then you are engaging the men, and the local bodies find the work and pay the wages, and collect the money from the Government.”

Mr McKessar: “They threw the responsibility upon the shoulders of myself and Messrs Naylor and Craig.” Mr Naylor: “It has been taken out of our hands.”

Mr Chiles: “We are involved in a peculiar position. How are we going to keep working when we can’t do this, that, and the other thing? I have been asked by the men to do various things, and I have had to tell them that we have no power. Of course, Mr McKessar has been appointed by the Government to take full control of the thing, and if that is the position there is very little need for the members of this Committee to come here. In fact, I feel like resigning.” The Chairman: “Mr McKessar has been appointed to make a selection of the men, because we gave him power. We should pass a resolution placing the exact position before the Unemployment Board.”

Mr McKessar: “Unless we who have been appointed have the local bodies to help us, we are killing the goose that lays the golden egg.”

Mr Naylor: “It seems to me that we have no status. If that is so what is the use of meeting here.” The Chairman: “We have a status, but we should get an explanation as to our position from the Unemployment Board.” Mr McKessar: “As regards authority, it is the intention of the Unemployment Board to appoint, and evidently give some authority to permanent committees. The Board members are coming to Timaru either this week or next, and I think that if as many members of--thi.s Committee as possible could meet the Board, we could get the information we are now seeking. I have been told to keep myself ready because they have a lot to tell me about the unemployment schemes generally. I could notify members when I get definite information as to the day they are arriving here.”

Mr Mather: “That is what we want, and we should be able to question them about various schemes.” Mr K. McKenzie: “How are the people in the country going to get on about this unemployment? Are the post officials going to attend to it, or how are we going to arrange it? We find the work, but who is to say if the men are to go on to the job or not?" The Chairman: “In the past you in Geraldine have provided the work and selected the men, and the post office have paid them.” Mr Chiles: “Under the new scheme there will be stricter investigation. Under the new regulations a man will be appointed to go to Geraldine to investigate the position.” Mr McKenzie: “That is what we want to know. We would then be quite safe in giving work to any men sent along by the post office?” Mr McKessar: “Yes.” The Chairman: “The Timaru Borough Council last night voted £6OO to keep the men working for the next fortnight. We have to carry 518 men, and the other local bodies between them have 33 Mr Naylor mentioned having been waited upon by a number of young men who wanted the Hospital Board to do something to find them work. They did not want charity, but work. He had informed them that the Hospital Board was not an employing body, and all that it could do for them was to give them food and shelter. He asked if the Borough Council could do anything for these men? The Chairman: “Your Board collects

-£4700 from the local bodies.” Mr Naylor: “These men don't want charitable aid, but work. lam really inquiring if the Timaru Borough Council could not find work for them to carry over the next fortnight.” The Chairman: “The Timaru Borough Council has done very well indeed in voting £600.” A discussion then ensued on the matter of what the Levels County Council had done for the relief of unemployment, a report of which appears in another part of this issue.