H.—llB,

8

3. The Board to appoint a Secretary or Employment Commissioner, to be the chief executive officer of the Board, in control of the staff and organization established and required by the Board in carrying out its functions. 4. The remuneration paid to members of the Board to be £2 2s. per meeting and for each day on which the Board meets, and such out-of-pocket expenses as may be incurred by them in carrying out their duties as members of the Board. The Secretary and other employees of the Board to be paid such salaries as may be determined. Functions of Board. 5. The Board to obtain information on all matters connected with industrial relations with a view to establishing a system by which employment can be organized. 6. The Board to obtain all information as to the conditions of the labour market, and to be entitled to obtain from all Government Departments and local authorities any statistics or other information the Board may require. 7. The Board to have power to make recommendations to the Government as to the desirability of obtaining and publishing statistics of unemployment or employment, and of other general economic factors not now available, which it may consider helpful in dealing with the unemployment situation. 8. The Board to inquire into the causes and incidence of unemployment in New Zealand, or in any district in New Zealand, and, after such inquiry, consider effective measures to be taken for temporarily or permanently reducing or eliminating unemployment in New Zealand or within any particular district. 9. The Board to be empowered to require the co-operation and arrange for the assistance of Government Departments or local authorities in placing unemployed workers, and when discussing proposals for work to be authorized to co-opt for a Board meeting authorized officers from Government Departments or local authorities specially concerned in the particular proposals. 10. The Board to have the right and be required to use existing Government or local-body officers or organizations (Public Works Department, Post and Telegraph Department, Police Department, Labour Department, Statistical Office, &c., County and Borough Engineers, &c.), where these can sufficiently serve the Board's purposes. 11. The Board to have the power to organize local committees of voluntary helpers to assist in dealing with local unemployed. 12. The Board to have power to require employers to report, in any special cases being investigated, as to the ability, competence, and satisfactoriness of an employee who has been discharged. 13. The Board to have power to investigate individual cases of chronic unemployment in order to ascertain and understand the particular circumstances with a view to taking special steps to have the unfortunate deserving placed in productive avenues and removed permanently out of the unemployed ranks, and also determine what special action should be taken in reference to such persons as may be regarded as " unemployable." 14. To control the Employment and Sustenance Fund ; to arrange for its investment with the Public Trustee on best terms and at highest rates of interest available ; and to arrange to build up reserves in the fund against periodic waves of unemployment. 15. The Board to have the power to make advances for the purpose of establishing, where that may be considered desirable, members of the chronic unemployed in productive avenues on their own account, with the assistance, advice, and supervision of the local committee ; also to assist certain classes of unemployed to establish themselves in business, or as poultry-farmers, bee-keepers, &c., as was done in the case of returned soldiers. 16. The Board to have power to make loans to or otherwise assist farmers or others in bringing into production deteriorated (fern, scrub, blackberry, gorse, &c.) or unimproved land with unemployed labour, and to be entitled to obtain advice and assistance from the Lands Department in considering any application for such assistance. 17. The Board to have power to arrange with the Government and local authorities for the investigation and scheduling of works of a public or developmental character to be planned for carrying out in times of depression and unemployment, and to arrange for advancing or retarding contemplated works to suit employment conditions and spread or even out the demand for labour. 18. The Board to be kept informed as to proposed or contemplated public works (State or local body) so as to arrange for these being carried out, if possible, at times suitable to the state of the labour market and so keep workers in employment. 19. The Board to have power to arrange with local bodies for the carrying-out of special relief works when necessary, and, in cases in which the cost of such works is increased through the instructions of the Board, the Board to be empowered to reimburse the local body to the extent of the extra cost. 20. The Board to have power to appoint any of its members or any other person to hold an inquiry into any question or matter relating to unemployment, and to delegate to such member or person such of its power as it may determine. 21. The Board to prescribe penalties, including fines or deprivation of benefits for breaches of the Act, as to registration, evasion of tax-payments, misleading or incorrect statements, refusal to comply with instructions or requests of the Board, &c., and also to institute means whereby such breaches may be detected. 22. The Board to have power to make rules and regulations for giving effect to its powers and duties under the Act. 23. The Board to be the sole judge in all matters arising out of taxation levies for the fund or appeals for exemptions. 24. The Bojird to have sole power to decide as to the rights of any claimant for benefits out of the Board's funds.