H.—lla,

The rate of subsidy is based on the minimum which will enable the work to be proceeded with, and ranges from £2 ss. and £1 10s. per man-week for married and single men respectively to, in some cases, the full wages-cost at the ordinary labourers' rate. Employing authorities are required to meet all other costs involved, including supervision, transport, insurance, tools, &c. The employment is under ordinary industrial conditions, and paid in terms of the award to which the employing authority is a party. In cases where an employer is not cited as a party to an award, the conditions and rates of pay prescribed by the Public Works Workers' agreement are adopted as the standard. Regarding the number of men shown as employed on produce-growing and pig-raising, it should be explained that the Invercargill City Council, as a war effort, in the 1939-4-0 season commenced a vegetable-growing scheme, in respect of which a subsidy was granted for the employment of registered and eligible men. The use of subsidized labour for this purpose was conditional upon the proceeds over and above the Council's costs being paid to the War Expenses Account. The crop comprised some 200 tons of potatoes, 270 tons swedes, 833 dozen cabbages, and 224 sacks of chaff, and was disposed of to the Internal Marketing Department at a price to cover the Council's costs only. Although there was no cash payment to the War Expenses Account, there was, nevertheless, a direct contribution to that account, as the majority of the vegetables were sent to the Burnham Military Camp. Following this initial success the Invercargill City Council continued the vegetable-growing scheme for the 1940-41 season, and some nine other local bodies also commenced production schemes in that season. In each case assistance by way of Scheme 13 labour was made conditional upon the proceeds over and above the Council's expenses being paid to War Expenses Account or patriotic funds. Some of these local bodies are growing vegetables, while others are growing seeds under contract to seedmerchants in order to replace those seeds usually imported from overseas but which on account of the war are now unprocurable from the previous source. Two of the local bodies operating under the scheme have established municipal piggeries. In order to make provision for semi-fit men and those of sixty years and over whose wives are not eligible to receive age-benefits, works of a light nature have been authorized in special cases. Rabbit-extermination. Subsidies of £2 ss. and £1 10s. per man-week for married and single men respectively arc made available to Rabbit Boards and County Council Rabbit Committees who are prepared to employ additional workers on the extermination of rabbits by means of fumigation and/or poisoning. The subsidy is available only to those Rabbit Boards and other authorities, and for such periods, as are recommended by the Department of Agriculture. The conditions of employment and rates of pay are in accordance with awards, &c., as indicated above. In order more effectively to combat the rabbit pest during the summer months when normal rabbiting activities are usually suspended, a major rabbit-control scheme for adoption by Rabbit Boards, County Councils, committees of farmers, or individual farmers was inaugurated from Ist September, 1940, and terminated generally on 31st March, 1941. In one or two districts where rabbits were specially prevalent the scheme was extended for a further month. Under this major scheme a subsidy of £3 10s. per man-week was made available for registered and eligible men employed in terms of the New Zealand Rabbit Boards' and Rabbit-proof-fencing Boards' Employees' award. Stock Inspectors of the Department of Agriculture were the approving officers for the scheme, and in those cases where experienced registered men were not available the placement of unregistered men in charge of parties of workers was authorized. A total of 2,766,420 acres was brought under the scheme with the placement of 935 men. Placements and areas covered in the various districts are shown below:— ~ , Area: Men Centre " Acres. placed. Queenstown .. .. .. .. .. .. 433,264 66 Alexandra .. .. .. .. .. .. 844,974 297 Dunedin .. .. .. .. .. .. 97,517 116 Invercargill .. .. .. .. .. .. 154,351 101 Gore.. .. .. .. .. •• .. 13,915 35 Riverton .. .. .. .. .. .. 113,133 46 Oamaru .. .. .. .. .. .. 167,277 94 Waimate ..' .. .. .. .. .. 147,340 58 Timaru .. .. .. .. .. .. 662,855 70 Christchurch .. .. .. .. .. 56,955 24 Greymouth .. .. .. .. .. 50,000 6 Palmerston North .. .. .. .. .. 6,000 2 Taihape .. .. .. .. .. .. 4,625 1 Taumarunui .. .. .. .. .. .. 14,214 19 2,766,420 935 The whole question of rabbit-extermination generally has been gone into thoroughly by officers of the Employment Division and the Agriculture Department, as a result of which entirely new proposals, whereby it is hoped to encourage the wholesale destruction of rabbits throughout the whole year, are at present under consideration by the Government.

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