RELIEF PROBLEMS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20425, 2 October 1934, Page 7

RELIEF PROBLEMS.

Committee Seeks Larger Allocations. (Special to the ” Star.”) TIMARU, October 2. The Timaru Unemployment Committee met last evening, Mr T. W. Satterthwaite presiding. The committee received a letter from the Commissioner of Unemployment (Mr G. C. Godfrey) stating that under the new house building subsidy scheme works valued at £33,000 had been applied for, of which work valued at £25,000 had been approved. It was reasonable to assume that the majority of the buildings would be erected in town, and activity in building and related trades must have a decided effect on the general unemployment position. The Commissioner advised that the Public Works Department and the board were arranging to place men from Waitaki works and provision had already been made to absorb 160 married men from this job. Mr G. T. Roller, the new representative of the unemployed, on taking his seat objected to the suggested tenure of office of two years, but he was the only dissentient to the proposal, which was adopted. The plight of relief workers with children over sixteen dependent on them was discussed, the chairman stating that the committee had not yet received a direct reply to representations for larger allocations for these cases. Mr 11. G. Naylor moved that representations should again be made to the 1 card and the Prime Minister concerning the unsatisfactory position of relief workers with unemployed children dependent on them. The motion was carried. It was stated that difficulty had been experienced in finding boys to take farm work, and the committee therefore decided to compile a register of relief workers’ unemployed boys between 16 and 20 suitable for farm work.