UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20097, 28 November 1930, Page 20

UNEMPLOYMENT.

WORK OF THE BOARD. CONSULTATION WITH LOCAL BODIES. I THE PBEBB Special Service.] WELLINGTON, November 27. Long hours were again worked by the T'aemployment Board to-day, and practically the whole day was again devoted to preliminary investigations of various aspects of the problem. It is ei.derstood that it is the intention of tho Board to make itself fully conversant •with every phase of its powers under trie Act, and to clear up all misconceptions that have arisen in various quarters before it frames a definite policy frr future work. To this end the Board divided into three small committees today with the object ot going into variti'is questions with the fullest possible expedition. One committee investigated

r be payment of sustenance and the !s«ues involved; another wont into the question of exemptions, and the third undertook an enquiry into the legal powers conferred on the Board. By this Beans it was possible to make progress on three issues in tho time that might aavo been devoted to one, so sa%-ing time which the Board considers is the essence if its contract. No Sustenance If Levy Unpaid. It has been found that in spite of the fact that the Act sets out clearly the functions of the Board and the obligations of those who come under it, as well as the benefits some will bo entitled to receive, that individuals and local bodies throughout the country •till have a wrong impression upon many important points. The Board has been particularly harassed over the question »f exemptions from the payment of the annual levy. Enquiries have been rereived from some who say they cannot pay the levy as to when they can draw their first sustenanco payment. It is pointed out by the Board, however, that the benefits of the Act are extended only to contributors to the unemployment fund. This means that unless a tran pays the levy he cannot receive itistcnance. Christmas Belief. ft is repeated by the Board that the £25,000 to be paid in subsidies to local bodies for relief over the Christmas period is the total amount that will be paid out for the whole Dominion. Reference to this question was made in & statement issued at the conclusion of to-day's meeting. It has been arranged that members of' the Board will consult with representatives of local bodies in the principal centres during tho week-end, and discuss with them the provisions of the Act and tho beat methods of relieving acute unemployment for the Christmas season. Conversations will take place between Board members and local body representatives in Auckland, Wellington, Christehurch, Dunedin, and Palmerston North when members go to their homes tor the week-end. Mr O. Mcßrine and Mr G. I*inn will go to Auckland, Mr W. E. Le&dley and Mr F. L. Hutchinson to Christehurch, and Mr P. J. Small to Palmerston North. Negotiations are tlready b»ing carried on between Wellington Labour members of Parliament, the Mayor of Wellington, and the Government, which has no control over the Board's activities. It is hoped that locmJ relief will be provided as a result, aa the Government has promised not to relax its efforts in spite of the fact that the Unemployment Board has started to function. Arrangements are plso to be made by the Board for an enquiry into Dunedin relief measures. More Unemployed Register. The stidden increase of 634 in last •reek's registrations is put down to the fact that the Unemployment Board has commenced its sittings. Although the Bomber of registered unemployed has been growing steadily, tho weekly increases have been comparatively small. It is obvious that there has now been a Tush to register, as the impression seems to be that the mere fact that a man has plaeed himself on the books of the Labour Department will entitle him to sustenance payments. Clearly this is sot so; In any case it will be some time before sustenance is paid, and, as has been pointed out, a man cannot draw anything unless he has paid the levy. CHRISTMAS RELIEF. ISHE PBXSBS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, November 27. Pew of tho local bodies in and around Auekland are very hopeful that much tan be done to take advantage of the offer of the Unemployment Board to provide £25,000 by way of subsidies to local bodies to provide immediate relief work for the unemployed. Not many are able to find the necessary money on which to claim the £2 for £1 subsidy, and there is a general feeling that the ■tun mentioned is so comparatively small that no individual Council or Board could expect to receive sufficient to justify it in undertaking any expenditure. One other point made is that the time is so short that little relief eould be provided before the end of the year.

The Mayor of Auckland, Mr George Baildon, said ho could hardly believe that the Unemployment Board intended that the £25,000 was to be shared between all local bodies throughout New Zealand likely to apply for assistance. He, however, preferred to await the arrival of Messrs Finn and Mcßrine before recommending the City Council to take any action. BOARD'S OFFER WELCOMED &OCAL BODIES TO FIND WORK. All the local bodies in and about Christchurch are likely to take some advantage of the Unemployment Board's offer of special subsidies for work to relieve distress among the unemployed before Christmas. The Christchurch City Council alone will give 10 days' or a fortnight's work to between 200 and 250 men. Preference will in all cases be given to married men. The chairman of the Council's Works Committee (Cr. J. W. Beanland) said that the offer of a subsidy of £'2 lor £1 on the estimated cost of suitable relief works, including the cost ot materials, was a better one than the Government had made. Only 50 per cent, of labour cost was stipulated compared with 60 per cent, before. The Council had only £9OO to spend, so that the amount of work it could put in hand was limited. Another point was that the subsidy was only on wages of 14s a day, while the Council was paving the union rate of 15s 4d. City Council's Part. | ho said, between 200 and JWtf am would bo taken on and given

10 days' or a fortnight's work. Some of the men would start next Monday, and others would be taken on as work was ready for them. It was hoped to give all at least 10 days' employment. The chairman of the Reserves' Committee (Cr. Annie Fraer) said that the committee was co-operating with the Returned Soldiers' Association in finding all possible work for unemployed returned men. The Waimairi County Council is holding a special meeting at 1 o'clock to-day to discuss the Unemployment Board's offer, the chairman (Mr C. E. Cross) told a reporter of Thb Press. Mr Cross said that the Council was already employing between 20 and 30 extra men. He hoped they would ba able to find work before Christmas at least for those unemployed who were ratepayers in the district. Funds are Short. The Mayor of Riccarton (Mr H. S. S. Kyle, M.P.) doubted whether there was any work that the Borough Council could at once put in hand. In any case the Council had to exercise the strictest economy at present. He thought that the Board's offer was a good one. The Council would see whether anything could be done to take advantage of it., but the only suitable work he could think of would be tho widening of Blair's Corner. The chairman of the Heathcote County Council (Mr J. L. Danks) said that although the offer had coroe at a time when the Council was short ot funds, they would see if anything could be done. "T have no doubt the Council will try to take advantage of tho offer," said the Mayor of New Brighton (Mr J. H. Shaw). There was ample work offering, he thought, but the difficulty was to find work of a permanent nature. He hoped that the Council would be able to formulate some scheme to carry at least the local unemployed over Christinas. "The offer is particularly encouraging in that it shows the Unemployment Board to ho alive to the position at the moment." said Mr SI lav.'. The Mayor of Sumner (Mr W. R. Nicholson) said that the Borough Council _ might bo able to do something to relieve urgent eases, but that money was short at the present. DEPUTATION TO MAYOR.

To i~i deputation consisting ox two or three hundred members of the unemployed, which waited on the Mayor yesterday, Mr Archer said that the City Council was putting in a claim straight awny for a subsidy from the Unemployment Board. Though the subsidy wjis payable on wages at 14s per day, the Council would continue to pay the award rate. It was hoped to have quite a good_ sum available, and the idea was to give men a fortnight's work just before Christmas. Ho could not give a guarantee that there would be sufficient money available to provide work for all the unemployed, but they could rest assured that everything possible would be aone. As to an appeal for funds for the relief of the unemployed, Mr Archer said that he would get in touch at once with the Rotary Club and other organisations and see what could bo , H f woidd als? see what could be done for single men who were unemployed. WORKLESS EX-SOLDIERS' CASE. [THE PRESS Special Service.) AUCKLAND. November 27. ' At a meeting of the Returned Solaiers Association, it was decided to write to the Minister for Labour pointing out that a large number of unemployed ex-service men were unable to pay the first instalment of the unemployment levy, and asking for an assurance that they would not suffer irom their inability to pay.