UNEMPLOYMENT

Timaru Herald, Volume CXLIII, Issue 20802, 10 August 1937, Page 12

UNEMPLOYMENT

SUGGESTED WORKS IN BOROUGH REPORT TO COUNCIL At the request of the Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell) the Borough engineer (Mr T. O. Fox) submitted the following report in regard to unemployment to the last meeting of the Works Committee of the Council, and the report came before the ordinary meeting of the Council last night. It was as follows: “At the direction of the Mayor I herewith give a list of works upon which the unemployed may be engaged. The lost is of necessity small, as in a borough so well developed as Timaru practically no new road works can be undertaken, and our public services generally cannot be further improved without a large expenditure upon materials, transport, etc., and only a small proportion of the total cost would be expended on labour. “(a) Kerbing and Channelling.—The sum required to complete this work is £19,000, of which £6.500 would be expended on labour. “(b) Improvements to Water Reticulation.—To lay water mains in those streets which are at present not provided with proper provision for firefighting, and to replace mains which are too small, would cost £4,600, of which £1.200 represents the labour cost. “(c) Clearing Tramline through Scenic Reserve.—For 42 chains this line has been covered in order to form a roadway suitable for vehicles from Otipua Road to the bridge over the creek. As it is the intention of the Harbour Board to use this line the Council are under an obligation to uncover it. I estimate that eight men could be engaged on this work for four weeks, the total cost being £lBO, of which the labour cast would be £l2B. This material could be deposited on the eastern side of the creek in order to i

form an approach to another bridge. (While the existing bridge is being used by the Board it will not be safe for the general public to use it, hence the necessity for another bridge.) “(d) .Amphitheatre, Caroline Bay.— Mr Panton estimates the cost of this at £540, of which £2OO would represent the cost of labour, giving 12 men work for four weeks. “(e) Cinder Track, Ashbury Park.— This projxisal of the Athletic Association has not yet been considered by the Council, but if it is proceeded with the estimated cast is £260. of which the labour would be £l6O, giving 10 men work for four weeks.’’ Committee’s Recommendations Having considered the report, the Committee made the following recommendations: — (a) Kerbing and Channelling.--That one gang be put on to this work. <b) Improvements to Water Reticulation.—That this work is not suitable. (c) Clearing tramline through Scenic Reserve. —That as many men as possible be engaged on providing approaches to the low level bridge and that portion of the cost other than that paid out of unemployment funds be a matter of consideration between the Harbour Board and the Council. (d) Ampitheatre, Caroline Bay.— That the work be proceeded with provided the Caroline Bay Association agrees to pay out of the forthcoming carnival proceeds the cost other than labour, less any amount that the Rhodes Trustees may be willing to contribute (e) Cinder Track, Ashbury Park.— That the work be proceeded with on condition that the Athletic Association provide the estimated cost of £lOO over and above the labour, and also is willing to undertake the upkeep. Programme Discussed In reply to Cr. M. H. Richards, Cr. W. H. Hall said that the recommendation of the committee was to employ one gang only on kerbing and channelling in the meantime. The original idea was to employ three gangs, which

would cost more than £lOOO, the Council having to find 8 6a week a man over the £4 promised by the Acting-Minister of Labour. It was felt i that it would be better to put one gang on in the meantime, and probably at the next meeting they would find a recommendation to put on more gangs. Everything would depend on the work done by the first gang. Cr. A. S. Kinsman said he thought that such an offer would never come again, and he felt that the Council should put on three gangs, even if it meant making special financial provision. Cr. W. G. Tweedy said that there was no doubt that the work would be advantageous to the Council, but they had only a limited contingency fund, and he felt that they should know what the programme was going to cost if carried out in its entirety. The Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell) said that he gave way to no one in sympathy for the unemployed, but at the same time he felt that it was a matter for the Government. He had said so

during the term of the last Government. and a change of Government did not mean a change of outlook so far as he was concerned. He agreed with Cr. Tweedy that they should know what the work was going to cost before they embarked on it. It was not merely a question of 8/6 extra for each man each week, but they had only a limited amount of money, and it was . not right that a future council should be penalised if a mistake was made now. If the first gang did the work 1 satisfactorily well and good. | In regard to the cinder track pro- ’ posal, Mr E. D. Mcßae (president of the Amateur Athletic Association), I waited on the Council, and said that the Park had been visited by tlie Reserves Committee which had inspected the area where it was proposed to construct the cinder track. Originally it was suggested that the track should be in the centre of the ground, but it was now intended to make the track at the eastern end of the Park. The Acting-Minister of Labour (Hon. P. C. Webb) had suggested that the work might be done by returned soldiers, and the R.S.A. was anxious to get a start as soon as possible. They noticed that it was to cost £lOO for the carting of the cinders, and that money had to come from somewhere. His executive

had not met, but he had consulted with individual members, and they were pre- i pared to raise the £lOO by February | next. One member was so keen that I he was giving up his holidays in order I to collect, and they also had other I plans laid. His object in approaching | the Council that night was to ascer- ( tain whether an early start could be made with the work. The Mayor (Mr P. C. Vinnell) said that the Works Committee had not considered the matter, but the Reserves Committee had done so, and was willing that the track should be constructed. Cr. P. B. Foote asked whether the excavation would result in levelling so[ as to form a. cricket or football area, i Mr Mcßae said that the engineer had given him to understand that that was so. Cr. W. H. Hall said that the £lOO was mainly for cartage. He thought the estimate was a low one, but that would help the Athletic Association. The main consideration was to find the £lOO. . ! In reply to a question, Cr. Hall said that the centre of the track would provide a practice hockey ground, but later a first class ground could be developed. On the motion of Crs. Foster and Foote, it was agreed to accept the assurance of the Athletic Association

provided it was put into proper form, the track to be formed on the eastern side of the ground. The otb,er proposals were agreed to.