UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Waikato Times, Volume 109, Issue 18349, 8 June 1931, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

SCHEME NO. 48. STATEMENT BY MINISTER. PLACING MEN ON LAND. The Minister of Labour, Hon. S. G. Smith, who is chairman of the Unemployment Board, lias released for publication the following information concerning the operation of scheme No. 48. “ The scheme," said the Minister, “ is proving a most important factor In placing unemployed men on the land, in bringing into occupation thousands of acres of previously unused land, and in developing large areas so that they are now capable of carrying considerably more stock and of growing additional crops.

" The Unemployment Board provides a subsidy up to £75 per contract under this scheme, based on 33 1-3 per cent, of the labour cost, and up to the present date 247 contracts have been arranged. These are providing employment for about GOO men, and the total is growing each week. The principal work carried out under the contracts has been the following: Scrubcutting, 4370 acres; draining, 3879 chains; fencing, 4634 chains; stumping, logging and clearing, G2G acres; bushfeffiug, 2919 acres; grubbing, 464 acres; sowing, 645 acres; top-dressing, 300 acres, " In addition to this important work, contracts have been undertaken involving the planting of 409,000 marram grass plants, the splitting of 400 posts, 360 chains of roading, 176 acres of ploughing and harrowing, and 40 chains or irrigation race. “ The commitments approved to date in connection with the cost of the contracts amount to £6425, and the expenditure of this sum is estimated eventually to result in the following additional stock being carried on the various holdings affected: 2950 cattle and 14,606 sheep. Also 200 extra tons of flax are expected to be produced. “ These results,” concluded the Minister, “ arc considered very salisfaelory and the board is hopeful of inaugurating oilier schemes which will have equally beneficial and lasting effects."