Relief Work Pay.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20238, 23 February 1934, Page 6

Relief Work Pay.

Cut Restoration

Conference Makes Appeal to Board. of the 10 per cent cut made in relief rates of pay last year will be sought as a result of a conference of representatives of local bodies which met at Christchurch yesterday afternoon. The conference also decided to urge the Government to call together in Wellington representatives of the local bodies, the Public Works Department, the Highways Board and the .Unemployment Board with a view to a scheme being formulated that would enable the unemployed to be given an increased number of days’ employment at standard rates of pay. The Mayor of Christchurch (Mr D. G. Sullivan, M.P.) presided, and there were also present:—Messrs W. W. Scarff and J. P. E. Veale (Heathcote County Council), G. Maginness (Paparua County Council), J. M’Kenzie (Halswell County Council), E. J. Howard, M.P. (Tramway Board), W. T. Lester and the Rev A. H. Fowles (Lyttelton Borough Council) and the Rev W. H. A. Vickery (Mayor of Kaiapoi). Unemployed Dissatisfied. Mr Lester (Mayor of Lyttelton) thanked the Mayor of Christchurch for calling the conference. He said that the unemployed at Lyttelton had asked his council if something could be done to assist them in securing a restoration of the 10 per cent cut in relief wages. The unemployed workers in Lyttelton up to the time of the cut were a fairly contented body of men, but they were now very dissatisfied with their treatment. Before the cut the C class men received £7 10s a month, the B class men £5 12s 6d and the A class (single men) £2 14s. Now they received the following amounts:—C class £6 13s 9d, B class £4 9s, A class £2 4s 6d. His council hoped that by combined action the Government might be induced to restore the cuts. Mr Sullivan said that representations had been made continually with a view to having the cuts restored, but the Minister of Employment (the Hon A Hamilton) had stated that it was not possible to accede to the requests. He read correspondence that had been addressed to the Minister on the subject without success. Similar requests had been made to the Minister by representative bodies in practically all other parts of the Dominion, but not the slightest -encouragement had been given. Attitude of Unemployment Board. So far as his knowledge went, Mr Sullivan continued, he knew of no occasion when the present Minister and the present Unemployment Board had granted any concession in reply to deputations representing all parties and all sections of the community. Neither the Minister nor the board had shown the slightest disposition to compromise with public opinion, or to make any concessions apart from the board’s settled policy. “ Quite frankly,” he said, “ I think there is as much chance of moving the Minister and the board as there would be of moving one of the skeletons in the Museum. I think the position is worse than it was when Mr Coates was in charge of the board. He was at least human, and would have the position properly examined.” Mr Sullivan said he was bitterly disappointed with the attitude of the Minister and the board in their response to representations. Co-ordination Suggested. Mr Scarff said he thought that there could be a good deal more co-ordination in the handling of the unemployment problem. His idea was that they should endeavour to get people back to regular work. If the Public Works Department, the local bodies, the Highways Board and the Unemployment Board got together, it would surely be possible to place men in regular work at up to 50s or 60s a week. It seemed to him that the restoration of the 10 per cent cut would not have much effect. What was wanted was more work at standard wages. Mr Fowles said that the 10 per cent cut was a very serious matter for the unemployed. Though the amount was only a few shillings, the ratio of it was 10 per cent, which was a large cut for people receiving only small weekly allowances. He moved: “ That this conference of representatives of local bodies strongly urges the Unemployment Board to reconsider its decision not to restore the 10 per cent cut in relief wages in view of the fact that the present relief rates of wages are not adequate to maintain even a normal standard of living.” The motion was seconded by Mr Lester. Standard Rates of Pay. Mr Maginness said he was not against the restoration of the 10 per cent cut, but it would not have one iota of effect in getting rid. of the canker of unemployment. The position to-day was that men were working on relief, getting 36s a week, and would not seek additional work on their off days. He suggested that the Unemployment Board should subsidise every man who employed an individual. Mr Fowles suggested that the Unemployment Fund should be available free of interest to local bodies for genuine works at standard rates of pay. The motion was carried unanimously. Some discussion took place on the question of evolving a scheme for placing men in employment at standard rates of pay. On the motion of Mr Scarff, it was decided to make representations to the Government that a conference be called in Wellington of the Public Works Department, local bodies, Main Highways Board and Unemployment Board with a view to a scheme being formulated for use throughout the Dominion that would enable the unemployed to be given an increased number of days’ employment per week at standard rates of pay on useful and necessary work.