RELIEF WORKS.

Waikato Times, Volume 113, Issue 18930, 27 April 1933, Page 3

RELIEF WORKS.

BOROUGH ACTIVITIES. difficulties of the council. RESTRAINT TO MAINTENANCE. “Unemployment and the difficulties it creates, have been the cause of much concern to the council and the staff during the year and as In the past a -considerable sum of money has been expended by the council on behalf of the Government and the Returned Soldiers Association in providing relief, whilst the council from its ordinary revenues found £2407 and from loan £309 for this purpose,” stated the town clerk, Mr W. L. Waddel, in a report to the Borough Council last evening.

"The Government’s expenditure In the borough totalled £15,521, compared with £13,456 last year, the Returned Soldiers £226 compared with £2lB. The number ,of men assisted p?r .week has. ranged from 154 in the month. Of April, 1932, to 358 in the month of March, 1933. From April to the first week in August there fas a steady increase to 284', the numbers then slowly declined to 215 220 October to November -and In December they commenced to Increase again.

“The Council’s costs are not confined to the total shown above £2706, for the supervision and laying out of the work for such- large numbers demand an extraordinary amount of the time of the engineering staff, while the preparation and checking of the wages sheets and the payment of wages themselves very considerably the office work of the treasurer and his staff.

“The most satisfactory works performed with relief labour were probably the preparation of the newly tarred footways and the regrading works in various outlying areas. The costs of transport, materials, and tools, all of which it has to find, preclude the council from putting in hand many of the jobs it would like to undertake and make It very difficult in a borough like Hamilton to utilise the labour available to best advantage.

“Every possible opportunity has been taken to maintain the various assets of the town in a sound -, condition. Finances have not permitted much In the way of Improvement in the condition of our streets and it seems that for some time to come we will have to be satisfied if we can maintain what we have.”