SUBSIDY ON MORE LIBERAL BASIS.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19238, 27 November 1930, Page 9

SUBSIDY ON MORE LIBERAL BASIS.

UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD’S OFFER IS APPRECIATED. Immediate application is to be made by the City Council for a share of the subsidy offered by the Unemployment Board for the provision of work before Christmas, according to a statement made by Councillor J. W. Beanland (chairman of the Works Committee) to-day. Councillor Beanland said that the council had made arrangements to spend £9OO of its funds on the provision of work before Christmas,, and it intended to make application to the board for a subsidy on that expenditure. From 200 to 250 would be given employment ranging from ten days to a fortnight and the first batch would make a start next Monday. The subsidy offered by the board, said Councillor Beanland, was better than that given by the Government in the past. The board was offering a subsidy of £2 for*£l expended on labour and materials and insisted on only fifty per cent labour on a basis of wages at 14s a day. The Government paid a subsidy of £2 for £1 on wages only on a basis of 14s a day and insisted on an expenditure of 60 per cent on labour. The City Council paid its relief , workers the award rate of wages, which was 15s 4d a day. The schedule of works on which the men were to be employed had been prepared and in addition to the batch starting on Monday, other men would be taken on at intervals of a few days until the whole of the money available was exhausted. Councillor Annie Fraer (chairman of the Reserves Committee) said that the committee was co-operating with the Returned Soldiers’ Association with a view to finding as much work as possible for unemployed returned men. (A report of the Government's offer appears on page 16.) GRANT TOO SMALL SAYS MAYOR OF AUCKLAND. Per Press - Association. AUCKLAND, November 27. The Mayor (Mr Baildon) expresses surprise at the smallness of the Unemployment Board’s Christmas relief grant. He said it meant that all local bodies throughout New Zealand were invited to subscribe £12,500 to earn £25,000. This was far too small. There was a possibility that much more money might be voted in the aggregate than was allotted -and it might come to a question of rationing. Also very little time was allowed local bodies in which to prepare plans and specifications and give authority for work. However, he would do his best to take advantage of the offer.