UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 139, 15 June 1931, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

CESSATION OF SCHEMES OUTLOOK FOB LOCAL BODIES A NO FUNDS AVAILABLE Suspension of the various relief schemes under the jurisdiction of tho Unemployment Board has caused apprehension in many quarters, but the hope prevails that the cessation will be of a temporary nature. “The levy is still being paid,” remarked a prominent Wanganui business man yesterday. “If the outgoings are held up for a time then ;he position should right itself.” So far as local bodies are concerned their ability to provide relief is governed entirely by the economic position as it affects the ratepayers. Any provision of extra funds to pay th« men wages means an extra rate. In many instances that would fall upon ratepayers who are themselves unemployed. In nearly every case local bodies have budgeted for supervision, tools and transport, but to go beyond that can only mean two things—dismissal of permanent staff or an increasing burden on the rates. Even if extra rates were struck the amount would, of necessity, have to bo small and would gu hardly anywhere in re-lievin-g the present crisis. borne effort to tope with cases oi uislicss rs uemaudeu anu in inis cunueetion Wanganui win not suuk. any responsibility. Boys leaving schvui nave cuntiiuuted very largely to me vuiumo ox une/upioyvd in e»«ry puit of tue country. A suggestion wuiiuy of CUPSiUCIUIIUU Lu IU.VUL the pUSItiUH so tar. as. tucy are concerned is mat Auruiurj n/jgnt be willing to employ them lor lueir keep lor a year or eighteen months. "Five shillings u week was a good uoy s wage m my day, ' a luirncr pointed uut, yesterday. "If these lads ouuld be gut mtu guud humea on ilie .and it wuuld serve a two-luld puipose —Keep them ulf the stiect and tend to stimulate tue iarming seiiau iu the rising generation, a tuing New Zealand can do with.” There are conflicting opinions as tu whether the levy tu tuc unemployment fund should be increased. A city business man was emphatic yes terday that that was the only soluMoa of the difficulty. “Uaring for the unemployed ha« been maue a Government, ]eb,” he said, “and if the 'country is to accept, it. us such the problem must be kepi right away from local btdies. in a crisis like the present there aio hundreds of women in New Zealand who could contribute to the fund auo should be compelled to do so. 1 am sure that if the demand was made they would be only too willing to help. lie added that it would be a fatal thing for New Zealand if the dute came to be. Sustenance had to be provided and it was much belter that in return for it men should work. The dole in England was an encouragement to idleness. Approached by a “Chronicle” reporter last night, the Mayor of Wauganui (Air N. G. Armstrong) said that ne was negotiatihg with tne Government. He pointed out ilie positieu which the City Council had to face, wbat had been - done regarding the currying on of the permanent stuff and the budgeting for supervision ajvi tools for the No. 5 scheme. The position in Wellington is a serious one and the Mayor (Mr T. U. A. Hislop) has stated that the carrying on of the present 'city relief works, giving employment for over 18UU muff, depends upon the contiuuaiice of the No. 5 scheme, and that if that scheme is to be suspended the men will be compelled to apply to the Hospital au<l Cuantable Aid Board, as the corporation has uo funds available. “The question of carrying the unemployed under the No. 5 scheme Dy the City Council,” said Mr Hislop, “was raised in connection with tho estimates. In view of the difficult financial position of the corporation and its severely curtailed resources, it became necessary and it was dcc.’dect tu entrench upon the funds of the Electricity Department for the purpose of carrying on the scheme, no enable the very large number of men w.io would otherwise be entirely without work or means of subsistence to be employed. It was decided to set aside £lO,OOO for this purpose, but this amount applies simply tu (he cost of supervision, insurance, and materials necessary for the work, the whole of the wages being paid by the Government under the No. 5 scheme. This amount of £lO,OOO would probably have enabled the scheme to operate till the end of August, whey fresh arrangements would have to be considered. Practically the same procedure haw been adopted by the Wanganui City Council, about £2OOO being set aside to meet the overhead expense involved in the functioning of the scheme. “It may be pointed out,” Mr Hislop, “that the restrictions which the Government imposes upon work which can be done under the scheme have led to most of the work done being of a type that is not really necessary at the present time, and which in the ordinary course of events would not have been done for some years, if at all. Consequently the scheme is open to the suggestion that it leads to uneconomic work being performed. This objection can be overcome if the Government, should the scheme be renewed, would remove some of these restrictions and allow to bo done work which is reasonably necessary at the present time, but which is not being done nor contemplated because of the financial position to