UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF.

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXV, Issue 19008, 16 October 1931, Page 7

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF.

MEETING OF TIMARU COMMITTEE. A meeting of the Timaru Unemployment Committee was held last evening. Present—The Mayor (Mr T. W. Satterthwaite), Rev. A. J. H. Dow, Messrs P. B. Foote, H. J. Mathers, J. McCort, J. R. Snedden, and A. W. Buzan (Mayor of Temuka). A deputation representing the Timaru unemployed waited on the meeting. Mr P. O’Hagan, chairman of the Unemployed Committee, spoke in regard to the sending of single men into camps. What they wanted to know was the penalty to be imposed on a man who would not go into camp. Several of the young men were waiting to take up seasonal work in a month or six weeks’ time. He appealed to the Committee to send forward a recommendation.

Mr Mathers said that the camps were started to prevent men from starving. Mr T. McGuinness said that with some of the single men it was advisable, for the sake of the married men and other single men, that they should be sent out of the town. He quoted examples of hardship imposed on dependents by the penalising of some young men, who had refused to go to camp. He wished for an assurance that there would be no further victimisation. The lot of the single unemployed men was hard. They were not responsible for what they might do. The unemployed also wished to have a representative on the Committee. Another matter was the case of a man, unemployed, who had been injured on relief works. The speaker considered that such a man should be paid for the number of days he would have been entitled to had he been well. Mr McGuinness was of the opinion that only men and boys of a practical bent should be sent out to work on farms under the 4a Scheme. Several other matters were brought forward for consideration. Mr Mathers said that no single man who put forward a valid case was forced to go to camp. It was stated that if a man obtained seasonal work while in camp he was at liberty to go to it. The Mayor thanked the deputation for its attendance, and stated that they had every sympathy with the unemployed. The matters brought up were referred for investigation. The Mayor said that the unemployed seemed to have a good case in regard to the 4a Scheme. A member: “Some of the farmers expect an experienced man for 10/- a week.”

It was decided to write to the Board suggesting that the South Canterbury Chamber of Commerce should be given representation on the Central Executive.