R.S.A. PROBLEM

Waipukurau Press, Volume XXVIII, Issue 29, 26 January 1933, Page 2

R.S.A. PROBLEM

“UNEMPLOYABLE” MEN NOT GENUINE WORK-SEEKERS .Speakers at a meeting of'the executive of the Christchurch Returned Soldiers’ Association recently alleged that a number of men who frequented the association’s unemployment bureau were not genuinely looking for work. It was stated by one member that, the association was becoming a "glorified unemployment bureau,” and that there was a danger of other questions which should receive its attention being neglected. Mr W. E. Leadley, chairman of the Unemployment Committee, said that the association should aim at providing employment which would take the men away from, the No. 5 scheme. He said

that there were hundreds of <treets in Christchurch and if the residents ot each street could be induced to accept the responsibility for one man for a full week at a time there would be no need to place the men' on the No. 5 scheme. A quarter of the membership of the association was unemployed, and in his opinion, the executive should do something for these men as long as it had funds available. He moved that the question of continuing the bureau be referred to the Finance Committee with power to act. “Line of Least Resistance” The secretary (Air E. F. Wilcox) said that the policy of the association in tackling the unemployment problem had induced a number of men who took the line of least resistance, and were not keen to obtain work, to come to the bureau. There was a certain

.lass of men who in ordinary circum-j .-tanccs would lie unemployed, but the majority of those who reported at the bureau were really anxious to obtain work. However, it could not lie denied that the other class had crept .a. Mr S. F. Marshall moved as an amendment, that the Finance Committee consider the question and report hack to the next meeting of the executive. Mr Haydon said that for some time he had had the opinion that the association was making itself a glorified unemployment bureau. He did not wish it to be shought that he did not have sympathy with the unemployed, but it took up a good deal of the association's time, and there were other questions which should bo dealt with and were being passed over. The amendment was carried.