SCHEMES OF WORK IN RURAL AREAS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 188, 10 August 1931, Page 8

SCHEMES OF WORK IN RURAL AREAS.

LONGER TERM FOR MEN WHO GO INTO CAMP. A scheme whereby the Government and local bodies could undertake necessary and productive work in country districts, and employ men for longer terms, was outlined by Mr W. E. Leadiey at a meeting of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee today. The vommittee favoured the scheme and decided to recommend it to the Uneia ployment Board. Mr Leadley said that the old Unemployment Board had considered over a hundred schemes which might have been put into operation had the necessary money been available. The present board would have twice the revenue of the old board. The scheme was tantamount to restoring the fourth week of each month in which men were not entitled to work, and by making provision for camps would save the present high cost of transporting men to their jobs. There was much work that could be done in the countrv. such as reclamation of land at the mouths of rivers, and drainage work. Mr Leadlev’s proposal for periods of employment each month were as follows: (a) Single men shall work for eight consecutive days, exclusive of Sundays; (b) married men with two children shall work for twelve con* secutive days; (c) married men with three or more children shall work for sixteen consecutive days. On completion of the above periods of work, men engaged under this scheme shall not be eligible for employment under any of the board’s schemes until the following month. • Local bodies or Government departments working under this scheme shall be responsible for the provision of camp accommodation, supervision, materials, insurance, and transport. Men shall provide their own blankets, cooking utensils and food. Local bodies or Government departments desiring to operate under this scheme shall furnish the Unemployment Board -with fullest details of the proposed work, including nature of work, number of men to be employed at one time, how long work will last and the estimated cost of the proposed work. No work shall be commenced before first obtaining the approval cf the Unemployment Foard. GOVERNMENT ASKED TO SUPPLY MORE MEAT. The supply of mutton furnished by • the Government through its recent purchase of a big line of sheep for necessitous cases among the Christchurch unemplo3-ed is almost exhausted. The Citizens’ Unemployment Committee decided to-day to ask the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) to approach the Government for a further supply. Reporting on the pound scheme, Mr George Harper said that there had been a slight falling off in the donations owing to extra taxation, but the position was quite satisfactory. The authorities could do with a great deal more provisions. • Mr W. W. Scarff stated that 157 sacks of potatoes had been dug and sent in to the depot. There was still a fair area to dig. PROPOSAL TO REDUCE WEEKLY WORKING HOURS. A motion that the working hours per week should be reduced temporarily from 44 to 36 did not find a seconder at a meeting of the Citizens’ Unemployment Committee to-day. The motion was moved by Mr R. J. Ecroyd, who said that the proposal should be recommended to the Government as a temporary measure with the idea of placing more men in employment. Mr J. W. Beanland: And paid for as thirty-six hours? Mr Ecroyd: No. “It is only twaddle to talk like that,” declared Mr Beanland. Mr Ecroyd stated that if the number of persons in work was estimated at 100,000, the proposal would give employment for an extra 22,000. The motion lapsed for want of a seconder. USUAL MONDAY RUSH AT POUND SCHEME DEPOT The usual Monday morning rush took place at the central Pouqd Scheme depot to-day, when the quota of supplies from outside depots came in. Mr A. H. Shanks, officer in charge, said that the weekly collections were assisting to maintain a steady inflow of supplies to the depot. The'demand for tea and flour was still unchecked, all that came in being distributed almost immediately. COMMITTEE DISCUSSES EMPLOYMENT OF BOYS. The Citizens’ Unemployment Committee met to-day. There were pressnt:— Messrs E. H. Andrews (chairman), R. J. Ecroyd, G. Lawn, W. E. Leadley, F. w. J. Belton, George Harper. J. W. Crampton, J. S. Barnett. T. L. Drummond, W. \\ . Scarff. R. T. Bailey, J. W. Beanland, Mrs A. I. Fraer and Mr J. F. Fames (lion secretary). Mr P. R. Climie, a member of the Unemployment Board, was also in attendance. A motion by Mr Ecroyd, that it be a recommendation to the Unemployment Board that youths leaving school should l.e trained in the basic trades at local technical schools for one or two years, at the expense of the State was carried! During the discussion on the motion, it was stated that the problem of the boy leaving school and getting no work was a very serious one. It was suggested that the Women's Branch of the Farmers’ Union should be asked to take up the question of boys being taken into rural homes and trained for farming pursuits. It was stated that the trouble was not lac-k of training of boys for the secondary industries, but lack of opportunity to put that training into