SINGLE MEN ASK COUNCIL FOR WORK

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19240, 29 November 1930, Page 9

SINGLE MEN ASK COUNCIL FOR WORK

POSITION DESPERATE, SAYS SPOKESMAN. A special plea on behalf of unemployed single men was made by a deputation of about 300 men which waited on Councillor J. W. Beanland, chairman of the Works Committee of the City Council, this morning. After hearing the representations of the men, Councillor Beanland said that while he realised that many single men were in a very serious plight, the City Council must give preference to married men on its relief works. All the men taken would be engaged at the Government Labour Bureau. One of the unemployed said that some of them had been promised work under the Christmas relief scheme by the Rev L. B. Neale, but when they went to the Labour Bureau they were told that the council had no power to give them relief work except through the bureau. Expenditure of £2OOO. Councillor Beanland said that the s City Council had arranged to spend £2OOO on Christmas work under its relief scheme. As soon as this fact became known various social workers approached him urging the claims of particular men. As a result of those representations he had told about half a dozen men to start work on Monday, but he had since learned that all the men engaged under the Unemployment Board s grant, must be engaged through the Government Labour Bureau. He had no wish to show any discrimination, but all the men he had promised work were in very poor circumstances. The position now was that the council had no power to take on men for relief works except through the bureau. Asked whether there would be any discrimination against single men, Councillor Beanland said that though he appreciated the fact that many of the single men were in dire straits, he must make it clear that married men with families would be given preference for relief works. Mr 11. E. Barnsley, one of the leaders of the unemployed, said he considered it quite proper that all men should be selected at the bureau. Number of Unemployed. Mr R. T. Bailey, officer in charge of the Labour Department, said that the men with the largest,, families were given preference. Unfortunately it had been represented that 200 men would be engaged under the Christmas relief scheme, but so far the bureau had received instructions to engage only eighty, forty on Monday, and twenty on Tuesdaj' - and on Wednesday. Councillor Beanland: Work will be provided for about 300 men for from ten to fourteen days. Mr Bailey said that a total of 1086 men was registered at the bureau. "What is going to happen to the 700 men who are not going to be provided for under the scheme?” asked Mr Barnsley. Something would have to be done for them, he added, as the position was becoming serious. Mr Barnsley said that Mr W. E. Leadley, a member of the Unemployment Board, who was present, might be able to hold out some hope for them. Mr Leadley, however, represented only the returned soldiers’ section of the unemployed. Mr Leadley: No, no. I represent the lot. Mr Barnsley said that in that case he wished to appeal to Mr Leadley to see if something could be done for the 700 odd men for whom no immediate provision was being • made. At the Salvation Army Home last night two single men had to be turned away because it was impossible to find accommodation for them. Gaol Preferred. Stating that he heard probably more than many others of the viewpoint of the unemployed, Mr Barnsley said that there was likely to be trouble in the city if something was not done for the single men, some of whom had got the outlook that it was just as comfortable inside gaol as out of it. The question was what were they going to do in order to be sent to gaol? Councillor Beanland: Don’t talk like that. Air Barnsley said he was not advocating that sort of thing, but he was in constant touch with the men, and some of them were getting desperate. Councillor Beanland said it might be possible for something to be done. The council was spending every penny it could afford, but it had to be careful not to exceed its estimates. If something further could be done the council would be glad to do it. Plenty of Work Available. “Is there plenty of work to be done, if the money is available?” asked Mr Barnsley. “Yes,” replied Councillor Beanland. Mr Barnsley: Then why not appropriate some of the funds of the Municipal Electricity Department? Councillor Beanland said that he was not sure that that would be agreed to by the council. The M.E.D. had promised to make a donation of £6OO, and the probability was that £4OO of that money would be given to the depots in the city and the balance of £2OO paid into the fund for the provision of work. Mr Barnsley said that if there was work to be done he thought that a

loan should be secured from the M.E.D. He believed that the Department had a very handsome balance. “Yes, it has got a fair amount of money,” commented Councillor Beanland. why let it remain idle?” asked Mr Barnsley. Councillor Beanland said he would convey suggestion to the Mayor. Replying to a question, Councillor Beanland said returned soldiers were not given preference in the allocation of relief work except on the jobs for which a special subsidy was received from the R.S.A. Mr H. T. Armstrong, M.P., also addressed the gathering. He said that it was useless expecting tHe City Council or the Unemployment Board to solve the problem in a few days. Both were doing their best to relieve the situation in the meantime and he paid a tribute to Councillor Beanland’s earnestness in handling the matter. He urged that the City Council should make every effort to secure as large a share of the Unemployment Board’s subsidy as possible. After further discussion, Mr Barnsley conveyed the thanks of the men to Messrs Beanland and Armstrong.