GRADING URGED.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 296, 14 December 1931, Page 7

GRADING URGED.

Fitness of Men on Relief Works. SHORTAGE OF FUNDS. “ The Board financially is in the position of being on the rocks,” said Mr H. Kitson, chairman of the Domains Board at a meeting of the Christchurch Citizens’ Unemployment Committee this morning in reply to a question from Mr George Harper as to whether the Board would continue relief tip till Christmas. “We have no work in which the men can take an intelligent interest,” continued Mr H. Kitson; “we are only making work for the men and they know it. The matter of providing relief is becoming a heavy burden, and the Board must live within its income. If we are not careful we will have .to come back on the local bodies and the ratepayers will have to pay special rates in addition to the unemployment tax.”

Mr J. W. Beanland: The position is the same with every local body. I had hoped that the Board would be able to do something up to Christmas but it appears that it is not in a position to do so. I do not know how the special Christmas allocation will be distributed, but the City Council is making provision for more employment. Up Against It.

Mr Kitson: The Board will do its utmost to provide work for men physically unfit for heavy tasks, but I think the time has come when the unemployed as a whole will have to be graded and dealt with in groups Al, A2, C 3, etc. I know there is a horror of military discipline in connection with the matter, but the men have no supervision at present and it would only be making order out of chaos. Mr W. W. Scarff: I think we should approach local bodies and ask them to pay the amount necessary to insure the men so they can carry on until Christmas. Mr Kitson: The board could manage to take between forty and sixty. Mr R. J. Ecroyd moved that the matter should be left to Mr Kitson and Mr R. T. Bailey. Mr W. E. Leadley said that in Dunedin men on relief were graded as fit for light and heavy work respectively, the light workers being sent to the domains. He thought that the committee should accept Mr Kitson’s offer. A List Sent. Mr R. T. Bailey: I can’t understand this question of grading. I give Mr Kitson a list of the men fit for light and heavy work. Mr Kitson: What do we get? Mr Bailey: The majority of the phyrically unfit men are sent to the Domains Board. The chairman (Mr E. H. Andrews) said that the greatest difficulty for Mr Bailey was to know how to deal with the physically unfit unemployed. As far as the Committee was concerned it was not going to 3at the allocation for Christmas relief be ieturned to Wellington. The majority of the 5000 unemployed would be employed as far as the money would go. It was decided to accept the offer and that the matter should be left to Messrs Kitson and Bailey. A deputation from the men employed by the Domains Board waited on the compiittee, but it was decided that Mr Bailey should deal with them. CONDITION OF RELIEF. Unemployed Must Cultivate Gardens. “In order that workers may help themselves and provide themselves with the necessaries of life, in addition to relief contributed by the public through unemployment funds, it is desired that steps should be taken to see that workers cultivate in their own time areas of ground which they are occupying whether as owners or tenants for the purpose of growing vegetables and thereby assisting to maintain themselves. Furthermore, after January 1, 1932, this work shall be a condition of relief.” The above extract from a letter received by the Christchurch Citizens’ Unemployment Committee from the Unemployment Board this morning, attracted considerable discussion. Members generally were in favour of the scheme, but considered that the final clause in the letter was rather too drastic. It was finally decided that a sub-committee consisting of Messrs R. J. Ecroyd, J. W. Beanland, J. W. Crampton (convener) and the Rev F. T. Read should go into the matter of arranging a scheme for the growing of vegetables by the unemployed on vacant plots in the city and report at the next meeting of the committee. On the motion of Mr W. E. Leadley it was decided that a letter should be sent to the Unemployment Board asking for a fuller definition of the final clause making cultivation of gardens a condition of relief. RELIEF AT LYTTELTON. The Lyttelton Relief Committee met this morning and decided to make an appeal for clothing for children and adults. Donors of articles of clothing are requested to forward them to the Council Chambers or Building Society's office. MEAT FOR UNEMPLOYED. Consignment of 550 Carcases Due .in January. A consignment of mutton, totalling 550 carcases, will arrive in the city on January 5 for distribution to the unemployed, said the Mayor (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) to-day. Of the last consignment of 500 carcases, the Health Department, which is controlling the distribution, gave fifty to the Salvation Army. On this account, the next allocation to the city has been increased by fifty. SEASONAL WORKERS. Are not Eligible for Relief Work. The fact that workers engaged In seasonal occupations are not eligible for relief was disclosed in an extract from the report of the officer In charge of the Labour Department read to the Christchurch Citizens’ Unemployment Committee this morning. Mr Bailey said that circulars had been posted in freezing works and other

seasonal work institutions, stating that employees who earned good wages during the season would not be eligible for relief, but would have to make adequate provision for the slack period of the year.

The report also stated that approximately all men in line for employment would be placed temporarily during the current week.

A letter was received from the Unemployment Board in reply to a letter from the. committee, which had asked the board to consider the granting of applications from responsible financial institutions and companies of up to 60 per cent in interest charges, for a period of years, upon approved public utility or secondary industry schemes. The board’s letter stated that any such applications should be submitted to the board and they would be considered on their merits.

It was decided that a letter should be sent to the Prime Minister, asking if possible, that the two telephones used in the relief depots should be exempt from payment, and also for the continuance of half-freight rates on all produce sent Into tho city by farmers.