SCHEME TO TIDE WORKLESS OVER.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 142, 17 June 1931, Page 4

SCHEME TO TIDE WORKLESS OVER.

MR FORBES’S HOPEFUL REPLY TO DEPUTATION

Per Press Association. WELLINGTON, June IG. An effort is being made by the Government to devise a temporary plan of relief to avoid undue distress arising out of the proposed abandonment of the Unemployment Board's No. 5 scheme from next Saturday, and afford some measure of assistance to the army of 40,000 workless until Parliament can deal with the question of providing the board with more money. This statement was made by the Prime Minister in reply to a deputation from the Wellington Citizens’ Unemployment Committee, which waited upon him and the Minister of Labour to-day. Both the Prime Minister and the Minister of Labour failed to express any sympathy with the proposal put forward by the chairman of the committee, Mr J. I. Goldsmith, that single unemployed men throughout New Zealand should be placed in existing military camps tinder some form of discipline. Mr Forbes said the suggestion was good in thbory, but it would not be practicable. The Mayor, Mr Hislop, said that the Wellington City Council’s finances being in a difficult position, it would be entirely unable to do anything toward assisting the men. The corporation was finding it hard to retain its own staff. The suspension of benefits under the scheme would mean that about 3000 or 4000 men would be thrown completely out of work in Wellington alone. Living from Hand to Mouth. Mr Goldsmith said the Hospital and Charitable Aid Board was already heavily burdened and it would be further deluged with applications for assistance. The Hon S. G. Smith: Why should it be deluged this week when the scheme has not ceased? Mr Goldsmith said that men were living from hand to mouth and the money of many was mortgaged before they received it. Evidence could be produced proving that men, women and children were starving in Wellington. The Prime Minister said that similar statements had been made by others, but the evidence of social organisations was to the contrary. If the assertion were true, then the social organisations had broken down, but this was not so. Mr Goldsmith said the committee’s suggestion was that all single men should be taken out of the towns and placed in camps. It was also suggested that No. 5 scheme should be continued for married men, and that he rule providing for a man to stand lown every fourth week should be ibolished. The committee’s proposal was that a married man with a wife only should get three days’ work a week, a man with one child three and a half days’ work; with two children four days; with three children four and a half days’ work and with four or more children five days’ work. Gamp Proposal Hot Approved. The Prime Minister said there was fio law by which men could be forced to go into camp. Mr Forbes said he recognised the seriousness of the position and realised that various voluntary organisations were doing wonderful work in relieving distress. He had hoped that' No. 5 scheme could be continued until Parliament met, but this had proved impossible. It was urgent that more funds should be provided for the Un-i employment Board and no time would be lost in asking Parliament to do this as soon as it met. Local bodies had telegraphed to him asking for the retention of the No. 5 scheme, and it was hoped that something could be done, even if only in a modified form. Mr F. D. Cornwell suggested that the Prime Minister should confer with the other party leaders on the question. Mr Forbes said he did not think this was necessary. In the past unemployment had been treated as a non-party subject. He did not think the House would raise any opposition to his proposals.

URGENT LEGISLATION WHEN PARLIAMENT MEETS (Special to the “ Star.”) WELLINGTON, June 16. Questioned regarding the possibility of the Government being able temporarily to finance unemployment schemes until Parliament gives fresh legislative authority the Prime Minister, Mr Forbes, replied:— “The position is very difficult, but we are seeing what can be done to follow up No. 5 scheme on modified lines, and my intention is to introduce legislation immediately Parliament meets and make it a matter of urgency.” “Can relief works be continued after J un e 20. pending additional legislation?” the Prime Minister was asked. “The matter of carrying on for a week or so is under consideration,” replied Mr Forbes. “But,” he continued, “expenditure was getting out of bounds. The Unemploy'ment Board was spending at the rate of over two two millions sterling per annum and making the financial difficrilties of the Government more serious than before. To provide more money from direct taxation will add greatly to the task of balancing the Budget on a falling revenue.” It had been suggested that Parliament should be called together earlier than June 25 for the purpose of considering ways and means of giving assistance, but Mr Forbes said that was hardly possible. He suggested that during the interval before the meeting of Parliament assistance could well be carried on temporarily from private and public body sources. “The general position in regard to finance is very difficult indeed, but we are endeavouring to do everything possible to deal with unemployment,” said Mr Forbes. “I believe that co-op-eration right throughout the country between private and public bodies and the Government will enable much further assistance to be given. A large number of men still are engaged on Government relief works and extra public works. We are employing many more men than usual and are straining every effort to keep them on, but ability to give assistance is entirely limited by the finance available, and at present lack of money makes it all very difficult.”