UNEMPLOYMENT

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 75, Issue 177, 29 July 1932, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT

POSITION IN WANGANUI NUMBERS STILL INCREASE K< Since the last meeting of the Wanganui Unemployment Committee the number of unemployed have further increased from 1222 to 1311, and the number employed from 1025 to 1088,” stated Mr. E. W. F. Gohns, certifying officer, at the fortnightly meeting held yesterday morning. “Twenty-two men have been sent to employment under the 4a scheme, and two to the camp. The men with a wife and a wife and one child have all had to be reduced to two days per week, also 83 men with a wife and two children. “Tho Finance Committee has held several meetings, and it was decided to purchase a certain lino of stores, which are considered the necessaries of life, consisting of oatmeal, sugar, rice, flour, sago, tea and golden syrup. A schedule was drawn up for the purpose of distribution, which, after the first day’s operation was found to be far in excess of what, it would be possible for tho committee to maintain, therefore a new schedule has been arrived at. It has further been found that it will be necessary even now to restrict this relief to those with the larger families.

“The sum of £5 was paid from the Mayor’s Relief Fund to the boot pool, and a sum of £45 Us 6d to the general relief fund. Accounts amount to £42 Is 4d, leaving a cash balance of £l6 17s 9d.

“During the month a quantity of vegetables and meat have been received from private individuals at the relief depot and have been distributed among the unemployed. Since July 1 to July 22, 2217 cards have been presented, the holders receiving meat and vegetables, while 643 of the holders of those curds have received wood. The total number of boots repaired since the opening of the depot has been 95.

“A meeting of the sub-relief committee was held in the Mayor’s room on Monday, those present being: The Mayor (fn the chair), Messrs. Crowley, Hawkes, O’Meara and the. secretary. Apologies were received from Mr. Halligan owing to his being in Napier on urgent business. A report, was made by the Mayor to the committee in respect to the recent discussion with Mr. Jessop, deputy chairman of the Unemployment Board, after which the following recommendations arc made to the committee: — “1. That the stand-down week be abolished, and that the rations of wofk allocated tq each class of men be distributed over the four weeks instead of over three as at present. “2. With a view to endeavouring to provide sufficient money to give as near as possible full rations to all men, a cash charge be made for all goods supplied from the relief depot. The price of meat, it is suggested, should be Id per lb. “3. It is further recommended that relief only be given to those who have not. received full rations of work in any one week or period of four weeks, from the amount allowed by the Un- ' employment Board, in accordance with the rules laid down by the Board for relief recently given by the Hospital Board. The report was received. Notification was received from the Unemployment.' Board that the objections with regard to the men pressing their cards to the foremen were understandable, but were not considered to be sufficiently important to warrant the discontinuance of the system. Apart from other uses it was valuable to keep a check to see that the men remained on the job until knock-off time.