SECOND MACKENZIE CAMP

Timaru Herald, Volume CXXXVI, Issue 19156, 12 April 1932, Page 6

SECOND MACKENZIE CAMP

ESTABLISHMENT AGREED TO. EXPERIENCES AT CATTLE VALLEY In his report; to yesterday’s meeting of the Mackenzie County Council the engineer (Mr D. Jeune), said that representations had come from Timaru asking that the Council proceed with the second unemployment camp in Mackenzie as soon as possible. Questioned in regard to operations of the Cattle Valley camp, Mr Jeune said that under the supervision of the foreman the men were working quite well, and while engaged collectively they were making quite a good job. “I desire to speak feelingly on the question,” said Mr Jeune. First of afl he wished to speak from the men’s side. There seemed to be a section of the community, as soon as unemployed came into a district, who desired to make something out of them. The difficulties the speaker had met with make him think that the Council should sponsor a remit suggesting that no money should be paid to unemployed, but that the value of the wo T .k should be paid in food and clothing. The men at Cattle Valley, after paying for food in camp, received £2 per week, some of the money being sent to Timaru. No end of trouble was experienced in endeavouring to have this money available for their wives in Timaru on the Friday evening. The men did not seem to altogether appreciate the difficulties, and could, in his opinion, do more to meet those administering the camp. “I noticed when a man returned from Timaru recently that he pulled out a 10/- note to pay for tobacco,” continued Mr Jeune. Some of them had arranged to visit Timaru once a fortnight, and he believed it cost each man about 5/- in the ’bus. He had it on good authority that last week-end a number journed to Timaru for the purpose of witnessing the air pageant, despite the fact that excuses had been offered that they wished to see their families and attend to gardens. A few members of Parliament said that they were not going to let the unemployed starve and so forth, but the time was coming when the payment of cash to the men would have to be discontinued. “Grant them relief by all means,” he said, “but don’t pay them money.”

Mr Jeune said the men had brought up different points since the camp had started, and in several interviews he had told them that he would do his best to see that the requests were met. He could not guarantee everything, and in the meantime the men appeared quite satisfied. “Men on Relief Committees have no idea of the difficulties we are up against. They should be doing social relief work, not unemployment relief work,” he said. Mr A. F. Campbell asked if the payment of 10/- each for food by the men paid the Council. The engineer said it was paying at present, and he had hopes of making the cost less.

Mr W. Scott inquired as to how far the £3OO, the Council agreed to spend on the camp would go. Mr Jeune said that at present che expenditure was in the vicinity of £lO a week. Mr Scott said that they had endeavoured to buy provisions for the camp as cheaply as possible, and in so doing had found a section of the public protesting. He was of opinion that a scheme of tendering by the cook for the feeding of the men might be tried. Charity began at home, continued Mr Scott, who considered that the Council were not doing half as much for their Fairlie unemployed as they were for imported men. Mr Jeune said that locally they were doing all they could with the allocation received. A number of men in Fairlie received casual work, and giving them a permanent job in a camp would be inducing them to go on relief. He understood that there were now only thirteen men on the local register. In the opinion of Mr W. T. Smith, it was a great pity that the conference in Timaru for unification of control had been a failure. He strongly disapproved of unemployed indulging in luxuries as a result of the wages they received on relief work, characterising such action as “a d— sin.” He moved that the second camp be proceeded with, providing the cost to the Council was not more than £1 an acre. There was no seconder to the motion, and Mr Scott moved that the camp be available for Fairlie unem*ployed only.

The chairman (Mr C. J. Talbot), said that the Council had not done ss much, perhaps, as some other counties in assisting town unemployed, and a promise had been made to Timaru that two camps would be established. He doubted whether the Government would consent to local men manning the second camp, as the scheme had been subject to special conditions with a view to absorbing unemployed from Timaru.

Mr Campbell said he failed to see why their own men should not be included in a camp for Timaru unemployed. The chairman explained the difficulties which stood in the way of this. Mr Scott objected to statements that the Council were benefiting through the work of the unemployed.

The chairman said the Cattle Valley work was specially provided to assist the unemployed, and there had been no urgency for it as far as the Council were concerned. The feature about the Ashwick camp was that the Central Relief Committee were to be given the timber.

It was decided, on the motion of the chairman , that the Ashwick camp be established, the cost to the Council not to exceed £150; also that the arrangement with the Relief Committee in regard to the timber be adhered to. Messrs Geo. Murray and Scott voted against the motion.

Referring to a suggestion by Mr Scott that the cook of the Cattle Valley camp should be asked to tender a price for feeding the men, the chairman said that the engineer had arrangements well in hand, and should now be permitted to see the camp through. He paid a tribute to the work of Mr Scott, and hoped that he would continue to assist in purchasing provisions, with a feeling that he had the support of the Council. After a short discussion, it was decided that arrangements for the Cattle Valley camp stand as at present, the question of tendering to be considered for the next camp. Mr Murray said he was of opinion that the Council should endorse the action of the Levels County Council in declining to allow unemployed travelling time. Mi* Campbell said that at last meeting Levels had been divided on the question, and he thought that perhaps any interference by Mackenzie might cause unpleasantness. Mr Murray: “It is a question of only what is right.” The chairman agreed with Mr Campbell, and suggested as an alternative that a general principle might be endorsed and communicated to the Unemployment Board. It was decided, on the motion of Messrs Murray and F. J. Carter, that every endeavour be made to save local bodies the expenses of travelling time and transport within reasonable limits.