BODIES PREPARE LISTS OF WORK

Star (Christchurch), Issue 19241, 1 December 1930, Page 9

BODIES PREPARE LISTS OF WORK

UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD MEMBERS GIVE DETAILS.

Programmes of work to be put in hand immediately have been prepared by the Christchurch City Council, the Canterbury Education Board, the Waimakariri River Trust, and the Heathcote and Waimairi County Councils, according to statements made at a conference of local bodies to-day. The conference was addressed by Messrs W. E. Leadley and F. L. Hutchinson, Canterbury members of the Unemploy-; ment Board, who outlined the objects of the board in making available £25,000 as subsidies for work to be put in hand before January 31, 1931. The conference was attended by representatives of the City Council, North Canterbury Hospital Board, _ Canterbury Education Board. Christchurch Domains Board, Christchurch Tramway Board, Waimakariri River Trust, the Riccarton, New Brighton and Sumner Borough Councils, and the Heathcote, Paparua and Waimairi County Councils. The Mayor (the Rev J. K. Archer), who presided, said that the Unemployment Board had . recommended the putting in hand by local bodies of special work for tiding men over the Christmas period. Details of the Unemployment Board’s offer of subsidies as a temporary expedient were read. It was stated that £25,000 was available as subsidies to local bodies, to which would be given a £2 for £1 subsidy on labour costs and materials. “Single Men for Country.” Mr Leadley said that the policy of the board had not been decided upon vet, in view of the necessity of concentrating upon steps for immediate relief. The board’s offer should in no way be regarded as a precedent, but only as a temporary expedient. In the speaker’s opinion, measures for relief work were not the solution of unemployment, which could be met only by development of the productivity of the country. Subsidies were payable on work which entailed 50 per cent of labour in its total cost, and the. board’s offer included education boards, hospital boards and school committees. The speaker urged haste by the bodies concerned in finalising their programmes of work. The board asked that unemployment committees should be formed in each centre to aid in collecting information of works which could be put in hand immediately. “The board does not make the mistake of promising work for everyone,” added Mr Leadley. “If the committees work well there should be work for everyone within the next few months. The board will consider giving a £ for £ subsidy to these committees for labour costs only. We want these committees established not only in the main centres but at Rangiora, Rakaia, Ashburton. Leeston, and other places. There are many struggling farmers who cannot afford to clear parts of their land, but. with a subsidy, they could employ men. All will agree, I am sure, that it will be a good thing to give the single men work in the country, rather than have them engaged on unproductive work in the towns.”

BE m IS EH EE SI ® SI EE SI ® §3 ES ® ® ES ® E ® ® Developing Own Resources. “It astonishes me to find how much suffering there was,” stated Mr F. L. Hutchinson. “The problem is a big one. in which organisation will have to bo an important phase. One of our problems is to develop our own resources rather than buy from other countries.” The efforts of the City Council and of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee were outlined by Councillor E. 11. Andrews. He said that if subsidies were available on maintenance, for tarsealing of roads, the council could employ many more men. It should be remembered that though the actual labour engaged might be less than 50 per cent, the use of materials meant employment for the men in the factories. Messrs J. H. Shaw (Mayor of New Brighton), W. H. Nicholson (Mayor of Sumner), and H. S. S. Kyle, M.P. (Mayor of Riccarton) complained that the smaller local bodies had not the finance to put works in hand. Some consideration should be given to those boroughs which assisted the unemployed in their own districts. The position, as it now was meant that there would be an influx of unemployed to those districts where the subsidies were available. Work Ready to be Started. Mr W. H. Harris, engineer to the Waimakariri River Trust, stated that the Trust intended finding work for thirty men for fourteen days, commencing from next Monday. A bus service to and from the work was being subsidised by the Trust, so that it would cost the men only ’9d a day for travelling to and from their homes. This would save the married men from maintaining two homes. If the Board could see its way clear to grant subsidies on maintenance work, the Trust could treble the number of men employed. The Mayor: That’s the way to talk We want concrete proposals. On behalf of the Canterbury Educs tion Board. Mr C. S. Thompson sa* that the Board would spend from £2O to £3OO, which, with the subsidy woul mean a total expenditure of £BOO c £9OO. “ Now we are getting on,” commente the Mayor. “Thirty men will start with ti Heathcote County Council next Wei nesday,” stated Mr W. W. Scarff. The Mayor: That’s what we want. Mr W. P. Spencer (Waimairi County Council): We have applied for a £IOOO subsidy. Councillor J. W. Beanland said that the City Council had borne the brunt of unemployment. Forty men had been given work that morning, and other groups would be engaged each morning this week. Mr Leadley explained that the subsidies would be given for special work, and not for that which was on the current year’s estimates. If subsidies were granted in the latter case, the Board would simply be making a gift to local bodies of two-thirds of the cost of their work. In the cases of New Brighton and Sumner, where there were difficulties in the way of finding the money to earn a subsidy, district committees could be formed so that benefit of the £ for £ subsidy on labour only could be had.

Mr Hutchinson: It looks as if the Board will have to increase its total amount for subsidies. Discrimination will have to be used in cases such as those of New Brighton and Sumner.