UNEMPLOYMENT.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 16780, 8 July 1922, Page 13

UNEMPLOYMENT.

DISAPPOINTING RESPONSE TO APPEAL. AWARD RATES BLAMED. T'ne Unemployment Committee met last evening, Mr AY. Goss presiding. The treasurer (Mr W. E. Leadley) re' ported that in addition to £257 previously acknowledged, the following sums hud been received : Staff .Lyttelton Harbjmr Board JLil, Messrs Healing and £6 10s, staff Messrs Healing end v'C'- £3 1 Os ** staff Public Trust Grtrce £6 vs 6d, Messrs S. Manning and to. <firK» instalment; £4 17s 6d, ataft Messrs {s. Manning and Co. £1 17s 6d, Messrs Bradley Bros. £3 17s 6d. Messrs Johnson. Garnett and Co. £ii • ‘•.s, staff Messrs Johnson, Garnett and Go. £l 12s (id. staff Messrs Pennicuick a>id Co. £3 Is, staff T. T. Hobson £3, K 1 a ff Messrs David Crosier £2 10?, iVince ol Wales Hotel £2 os, Canterbury Drivers’ Union £2 2s, A.N.T. i.Ngcr £1 Is, Messrs Harcouvt and Daniel (weekly) 13s. staff Messrs G. V Drayton and Co. 9s, Mrs James (second donation) 2s 6d. The total to date was £317 12s. The response had not been good, as only £6O 12s had tome in for the week, and the committee was now spending at the rate of £<2 a week. He suggested that the committee should prepare a list of prospective subscribers, as only thirty <«» forty responses had been received out of 500 appeals sent out for funds, t ontributions had been going to the fund started started by Mr R. B. Owen, and ic was a pity there had been duplication, although the money went to help the unemployed. I he chairman said that more money uus needed in the fund. Mr T. G. Fielder reported that the Labour Department had a list of -3(3 married and 29 single men on the unemployment register, and 83 were lit. I ni.iy men had been placed in employmei t during the week, and preference had been given to necessitous oases. The secretary (Mr S. F. Marshall) reported that the Repatriation Departmem hid 61 labourers on the hooks. Nineteen were married and 42 single. i m e the committee had started operations lii men had been employed on ;ek‘'f ■work, including 107 who had been placed either directly or indirectly bv the committee. Twenty men had been employed in the public gardens and 30 < n too river-banks. The Malvern County < own< il had been interviewed and had «*g»eed to do what it could to prevent men from drifting into the city. Hio chairman said that protective works could bo undertaken in the Eyre Diver, but the county had no monev lor tlie purpose. Work might also be undertaken in the New Brighton Domain.

Mr Marshall said that tho Public Works job in the Hutt district would take about seventy men. Mr TT. H. Holland said that the lev-<-ling of the drainage farm had fallen through as the contracts were far too high, one being £3OOO and the other £BOOO above the estimate.

Tho chairman said that the fund would have to be built up much more rapidly to make possible the subsidising of works such as the improvement of the domain in New Brighton. Archdeacon Taylor suggested that postal appeals should be followed up with a personal request. The chairman said that the suggestion could be followed up later. He thought that the Council of Churches might be written to and asked for help in the way of a collection in the churches. It was resolved to apply to the Council of Churches accordingly and also t j the Homan Catholic Bishop. Mr P. R. Climie said that the Progress League had decided to urge the immediate commencement of tho duplication. of the Lake Coleridge power station. The plans were prepared, and the duplication would give employment on a productive and urgent work. It was decided to write to the Minister accordingly. Replying to an objection by Mr W. J Jenkin that the Lake Coleridge work would not relieve unemployment this year, tho chairman said that if the work was to be done by day labour il could be in full swing in a fortnight. Mr Climie reported that competent carpenters were wanted at Otira. Mr W. H. Winsor said that none More out of employment. Replying to a statement by Mr Leadley that only twenty men had been put on by the City Council, Mr Winsor said that forty or fifty had been employed. He suggested that on the Bottle Lake plantations a gang of men could strip the. lower limbs, reducing ihe. danger of fire, widening the tire breaks and cutting out trees. Hundreds of men could be employed for work . The Reserves Committee had no mourn, for the purpose, hut it might he subsidised by the committee. He had been advised by Mr Young that many trees },ad to com© out as they were only four l©4»t apart. It should be subsidised, however, on the relief rate of pay, and ihc tael that the council was paying award rates for relief works was killing the fund stone dead. ••Something us killing it,” snid Mr Leadley. The chairman said that it appeared o with only £OO received in a week. Mr Marshall said that the funds found by Mr Owen were being paid in relief work at award rates. Mr Winsor said that although gar deners* labourers received a. low< r i.ward rate than general labourers the council was paying the higher rate for relief work. The council should be v ritten to on the subject. Mr Leadley suggested that Mr Min soi .should raise the matter in the council. The chairman said that the council was obliged to pay award rates. The committee was not concerned, as it did not find the money. Mr Wiusor’s suggestions could be kept in view until il,p. committee, had funds m hand. The council could not be approached on the subject of rates until the committee was proposing to pay a subsidy. Mr Leodlev was requested to prepare .... list of tlio larger firms to be can-Au-scd by members of the committee. DISCUSSION AT WELLINGTON SYNOD. STRONG APPEAL FOP HELP. W E LI T NGTON J uly 7. Th© -cTminplo\ :nent problem was dCbv the VVtlingtou Diocesan Svn«*d to day He' T Feilder "I ay lor eaid that men. women snd children were suffering gr<at hardship- Tie knew of many instances in which married men. with v ires and little ones, who had been out o! work for at least five months. During the r>a-t four months lie had been doing nil lie* could to secure work ior die unemployed. H ‘ thought it wonM onlv be mv.ssirv to make an appeal to church neoMe t > secure their coI l.<>ration in relieving tin distress. He aiigg, Med, in hi> motion, firstly, that

they might support a fund opened by the Mayor and, that churcn members should make offers of a halfor a day’s employment in cleaning window's, cutting lawns*, tidying gardens, etc. Thirdly, he suggested that urgent rases of distress should be reported to the relieving authorities. There wore at least 700 men out of work in Wellington and he believed the position was much the same in Palmerston North. He wished his resolution to apply to the whole diocese, not merely to the city. If only half the people offered work some small measure of relief would be afforded. After discussion. Mr Taylor agreed to an addition to his motion to the effect that tho Government and local bodies be urged to set up further relief works. After further discussion the motion was carried in the following form: That this synod views with deep sympathy the present distress caused to many by unemployment and rejoices to see the efforts which arc being made h - the Government and public bodies, and hopes that more mav he done in this direction. Synod also urges church m ambers to co-operate as far as possible in all efforts to relieve such distress. Mr Taylor stated that he understood the Mayor was prepared to open im mediate relict’ works if the public would pay for them. “ T want to see the church members get rid of a little more of the morning tea stunt and hand in their money.” he said. He also suggested that church members should be appealed to to increase the Vicar’s Private Poor Fund. It was decided to forward copies of the resolution to the Prime Minister and Mayor.