UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20100, 2 December 1930, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT.

I SPECIAL OFFER OF SUBSIDY | LOCAL BODIES' CONFERENCE. Representatives of local bodies attended a conference yesterday morning with Messrs F. L. Hutchinson and W. E. L-eadley, members of the Unemployment Board, to discuss tho special offer of a £2 for £1 subsidy on expenditure to provide relief work before Christmas. Those present were the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr J. K. Archer), in tao chair, Mr A. K. Galbraith (City En- ! gineer), Crs. E. H. Andrews, J. V. Beanland, D. G. Sullivan, M.P., A. X. Fraer (Christcaurch City Council), G. Gardner, T. O. Newnham, W. P. Spencer, J. Liggins, J. Cleland, 3lr G. fi. Cowper ( Waimairi City Council), Messrs H. W. Harris (Waimakarirt River ' Trust), W. Hay ward (Christchurch Tramway Board), H. T. Armstrong, M.P. (Lyttelton Harbour Board), J. H. Shaw (Mayor of New Brighton"), W r . H. Nicholson (Mayor of Sumner),' J. F. Menzies (Town Clerk), H. S. S. Kyle, M.P. (Mayor of Riccarton), W. T. Foster ("Mayor of Lyttelton), Cr. W. W. Scarff (Heathcote County Councils, Messrs C. S. Thompson, L. E. Rowley (Canterbury Education Board), J. J. Hunter, S. R. Evison, Barnett (School Committees' Association), J. Mackenzie (Halswell County Council), G. Maginness (Paparua County Council), F. Langbein (Public Workß Engineer), 11. J. Otley, W. S. Wharton (North Canterbury Hospital Board), G. Harper (Domains Board), H. G. Ell (Summit Road Association 1. and J. S. Neville (Town Clerk of Christchurch). The Mayor said the conference had been called for a very definite and practical purpose. The Unemployment Board had made certain proposals m regard to special work before Christmas. "On your behalf," said the Mayor, "I think X can congratulate Mr Hutchinson and Mr Leadley on their appointment to the Board. A letter received by the Mayor from Mr Malcolm Frascr (Unemployment Commissioner), asking him to call the conference, was read. A copy of the conditions covering the special offer of subsidies to local bodies was enclosed. Not a Precedent. Mr Leadley said that New Zealand, in view of the world depression, was one of the best countries to live in. The Board had found that there was an urgent necessity for providing immediate relief, but it had not yet been able to frame its full policy. It was seeking the co-operation of the locaK bodies in promoting the scheme of prompt relief. The Board's offer must not be regarded as a precedent, as at the very best it could only be considered a temporary expedient. Relief works alone were uneconomic and unscientific; the only proper way was to increase the productivity of the country. The Board's offer was more generous than any previously made by the Government. It was extended to Hospital Boards, Education Boards, and Seljool Committees. The last-named bodies, it was hoped, would make their arrangements through Education Boards. He desired to impress upon them the urgency of the matter; full advantage should be taken of the telegraph and telephones to expedite decisions. It should be made clear that the £25,000 offer was for the whole of the Dominion. The Board was also asking that local unemployment committees "should be set up in each eentre to assist its work. They could help greatly in ascertaining what work was available. Tho Board was not going to make the mistake of promising work to everybody, but it was prepared to give the committees the subsidy for labour only. It hoped also that committees would be formed in centres in country districts, where there was plenty of work, but finance was a stumbling block. The single men should be engaged on this work, rather than in drawing sustenance payments. If tho problem was tackled with the same determination as the country's difficulties were faced during the war unemployment could in a great measure be relieved. Tho Board had sat for only four days, and much of its time had been spent in interviewing heads of Government Departments.

Mr Hutchinson said their's was a most serious responsibility, for unemployment was a difficult and intricate problem. The amount of suffering in the community was extraordinary. Ho could see it waa going to be a big undertaking to cover the whole Dominion, which must be organised on tho lineo of a great business. If that happened there would not be the terrible "distortion" which existed in New Zealand. The country must develop its own resources and increase production. "We want you to come forward with distinct proposals," said Mr Hutchinson. "We may see our way to increase tho amount of the offer. The work we will favour will be of the nature which provides the greatest number with employment."

City Council Obtains £2OOO. The Mayor said the order issues would have to be considered later. Tho City Council had not tried to 6teal a march on the other local bodies in taking advantage of the Board's offer. If work was provided before Christmas, it would have to be passed by the Public Works Department. The City Council had prepared a schedule of works, and had a promise up to £2OOO, but it had had no idea of the comprehensive nature of the offer. If the amount available for the whole of Canterbury was such that the City Council's share was too great, it would be prepared to receive a pro rata quota. Mr Hutchinson said it was hoped that it would not come to that. Cr. Andrews said the City Council had already spent & 16,000 to £20,000 for relief this year. Great numbers of men had 1 been'calling in quest of work, ao a, total of about £.900 had been raised "in the various departments for providing Christmas relief. The Citizens' Unemployment Committee had raised a considerable sum which had been expended. It was very representative of the City, To provide a schedule of necessitous work was a matter of difficulty, but there was a great deal of maintenance work, which, however, involved an expenditure of more than 50 per cent, on materials. He would like to see a schedule of work which would be of special benefit to the City. Mr Shaw said many of the smaller local bodies would be in the same difficulty as the New Brighton Council in finding an amount to enable'them to take advantage of the subsidy. The Mayor: You can get a loan. Mr Shaw said the small local bodies had a sufficiently heavy load in this direction already. He suggested to the Board members that the subsidy he extended to works already provided for in estimates. "We should be entitled to some share of this grant," he said. At present it appeared that only the large local bodies would bo able to take advantage of it.

Mr Nicholson endoreed these remarks. Sumner wag already overrunning ita revenue, he said* Had the Board considered the question of providing the full amount in certain cases? Very careful consideration of thie aspect of tho position would have to be given> other-

' wise tho taxpayers would find themselves taxed out of their houses. It was unfair to ask the ratepayer to make ! fresh contributions. Perhaps a special ' Order-in„-Council would be passed granting the local bodies power to increase s their overdrafts. "It could ouly be granted by Statute, said Mr Sullivan. , ! Mr Kyle said Kiccarton was in much J the same position as New Brighton and 1 Sumner. The only work it could put in innd lrns Blair's corner widening- f About &250 was required to complete I the- job there. ! Meeting This Morning. , Mr Leadley said the Board would j meet again this morning. ' j Mr Sullivan said the discussion had | taken a verv practical turn, and the j Board would do more in providing work j for the men in this district if it could j meet the wishes of the small local j bodies as expressed by Messr3 Shaw, j Nicholson, and Kyle. { The Mayor said that ii' the smaller . local bodies should get their money for j nothing, the City Council Bhould be in the same position. He would oppose , anvthing else very strongly. Cr. Scarff said that if they continued talking the unemployed would get no work at all. "Let us get on with the j job," he urged. ) Mr Nicholson said his Council was j not asking for all tho money. j Mr Armstrong said special maintcu- j aucc was capable of a wide interpret a- j tion. It. would be quite impossible for | the conference to go into the details ol j the position facing the local bodies re- j

presented. The Board had made a very j liberal offer to the local bodies. As a i business proposition it was excellent, I and as far as possible, the local bodies j should spend money on the lines pro- j posed between the present date and Christmas. _ j Cr. Gardner said lie understood the j wages to be paid were 14b per day. i The Mayor: No, the Board subsidises j up to 14s, and tho local bodies can pay J more il' they like. Cr. Gardner said the Board would have to be told quietly, but_ firmly, that some of them objected to its methods, as disclosed by its action in allowing the City Council up to £2OOO already "We should have a fair round-the-tablo ] arrangement," he said. j Mr Otley said the proposal to clean up some of the dirty land was the best he had heard advanced yet. " For good-" r.ess sake stop wrangling, as to who is going to get this money," he said. "If the City Council has the work, let j it spend it, and adjust the matter after- , wards."' • i Harbour and Tramway Boards. Mr Hay ward congratulated the City Council on its speedy action, and tho Mayor on his generous offer. He asked whether the Lyttelton Harbour Board and the Christchurch Tramway Board were included in the subsidy scheme. They could both provide work readily. Mr Harris said he had come along with a definite offer to put on o0 men next Monday for a period of 11 days, subject to the approval of the District Public Works Engineer. If ordinary maintenance work could be subsidised, the Ifiver Trust could employ three times that number. Mr Thompson said the Education Board could spend £2OO to £3OO immediately. Cr. Scarff said the Heathcote County Council could start oO men on Wednesday. Cr. Spencer said the Waimairi County Council had applied for £IOOO. The question of supervision should be considered by tho Board. Cr. Beanland said the City had had to bear the brunt of the unemployment problem of the district. The Council had placed 40 men that morning, would employ an additional 20 this morning, and an equal number to-morrow, and on Thursday. If the subsidy could bo extended to maintenance work the Council could employ 300 men for a month oi- six weeks. The other local bodies in the district must help the City. "Some diehard opinions havo been expressed," said Mr Leadley. When the Board made its offer it intended that the employment given by local bodies should be extra work. If it subsidised ordinary work it would merely be making a gift of two-thirds of the cost. The telegram applying for a subsidy from the Christchurch City Council, was the first received by the Board. It stated that the Council proposed to start work on Monday. Cr. Beanland: And we have started. Mr Leadley 6aid all credit was due to the Christchurch City Council for taking early advantage of the offer, and the amount would not have to be reduced. The work it had put in hand, as described to him by Cr. Beanland, was of the nature approved by the Board. Tho full amount allocated for Canterbury would be utilised for extra work, and that waa surely the best way to spend it. The Board had decided to consider an application from the Foxton Harbour Board, and bodies such as this and tramway Boards would receive the same treatment as other local bodies. If the smaller local bodies could not take full advantage of the first offer they should avail themselves of the second, that of £1 for £1 on amounts voluntarily raised. Mr Hutchinson said the crucial question waa what special work would be allowed, and the Board would have to decide the point. Full particulars should be sent with every application. It was evident that the £25,000 would be exceeded.

FIRST PAYMENTS OF j LEVY. | !

: | j BUSY DAY AT POST OFFICE. \ The first quarter of the unemployment levy was due yesterday, December Ist, and by evening 2090 contributors had made their payments at the Christchurch Post Office. With the payments that were made during November, this brings the total to 0873. The majority, of course, have paid only the 7s 6d demanded; but many have met their own convenience and that of the postal authorities by paying in one sum the full levy of £1 10s. A staff of seven officers was detailed for the receipt of the levy, and special accommodation provided in the money order section of the Post Office. The officers were kept busy throughout; the day, for they had not only to receive payments, but also to consider many applicants for exemption and to issue re-ceipt-books. A steady stream of people passed by the counter during the day, and at some hours, particularly 9 a.m., the crush was considerable. According to tse Unemployment Act, one month is allowed for payment of the quarterly amount. After that a penalty of 6d'a month or part of a pionth is charged, and the defaulter is in addition liable, on conviction, to" a. fine of £5. The full regulations under the Act were contained in the last Gazette, issued on November 27th.

LEWIS PASS ROAD.

AVORK FOll SINGLE MKN. UNEMPLOYMENT BOARD TO BE APPROACHED. Tho suitability or the work 01 coustructing the Lewis Pass ror.d lor single men out of \vorl: was iiiiphaeiscd at yesterday meeting of the Finance Committee of the Citizens' Unemployment Committee, and it was decided' to make representations to the Unemployment Board on the subject. The hon. secretary fMr P. If. Climio) reported at the opening of the meeting that the position regarding the Lewis Pass road was much the same. Tho resolution arrived at by the committee at its meeting ;t fortnight, ago hau teen forwarded to the -Minister, sue other bodies were making representations on the subject. What the outcome would be he could not say, but everything was being done to persuade the Government to get the work resumed. So far there was nothing doing. Work for Single Men. Cr. Annie I. I'raer, at a later sta-e, asked if -Mr E. T. Bailey (Labour Department) could tell the committee what could be done for single men. Mr Bailey: There is nothing offering for single men. Cr. Fraer: They aro getting pretty desperate! The secretary said that the Lewie Pass road was a job for single men, and they should exert every effort lo get the work resumed. The- chairman ('Cr. E. 11. Andrews), replying to Mr J. W. Crampton, said that the Government's reasou for stopping the work was financial stringency. ITe suggested making an application tc the Unemployment Board to subsidise Public Works expenditure on the road. Mr Crampton said he knew gome unemployed single men who were in as desperate straits us married men. A National Work. The secretary suggested that representatives of the committee should intor view the members of the Unemployment Board resident in Christchurch, and endeavour to enlist their sympathy in the matter, and ascertain what the.v advised, and then write to the Publie Works Department regarding a vote for the work. ' He knew of no work in Canterbury that was as important as the Lewis Pass road, as far as road work was concerned. It would shorten the distance between the East and West Coasts, would be used by West Coast, Nelson, and Canterbury people, and also by tourists. Money spent on it would be spent on a work of national importance. The Automobile Association £',uq the Progress League supported it whole-heartedly. Personally, he thought that the work should go on at all costs. It was decided that the chairman and the secretary should wait on the Christchurch members of the Unemployment Board on the matter. FINANCE COMMITTEE MEETING. ALL FUNDS ALLOCATED. At yesterday's meeting of the Finance Committee of the Citizens' Unemployment Committee, the secretary reported having written to the Lyttelton Harbour Board, at tho suggestion of the Town Clerk (Mr J. S. Neville), asking for a special grant to assist in providing work before Christmas for the unemployed. The secretary's action was approved. Cr. Fraer said that she hoped to. obtain £l5O from tho Returned Soldiers' Association which would be .subsidised by the City Council. It was their intention to apply to the. Unemployment Board for a subsidy on the total. The Reserves Committee of the City Council would then be in,, a position to provide work for unemployed returned soldiers at Bottle Lake, provided the men registered with the Labour Department. Financial Position. The financial statement was as follows: — ■& s. d. Balance on Nov. 15tli 172 IS 7 Subscriptions received . . 32 4. 3 Payments — Improvement of Eiccartou. avenue . . . . 6? ? 5 R.S.A. subsidy . . 50 0 0 Christmas relief work, City Council . . 50 0 0 Commitments ... , . Balance, November 29tb. .. o7 15 Si It was decided to vote £lO to Cr. Fraer in connexion with the Central Depot, and to vote £25 to the City Council towards providing for relief work' prior to Christmas. Overlapping Alleged. Reporting on the Central Depot, Cr.' Fraer said that consequent on most of tLo depots closing down, or restricting

their operations, there had been a. larger number of applicants than ever J before at the Central Depot; on Friday s there were ovpr n hundred. Gifts re- | ceiled nirluded tv.o b.-igs of potatoes, Jin oat ; from tbo Tcclinical College, j fivthiag arid jam; Aulsebrook and Co., | IfTge case of biscuits, and from |St acoy ;jud Hawker, two dozen loaves I ol brc*.nl daily. j Mr fecarff laid he had heard that there was some double-banking. Mothers went to one place and got foodstuffs and fathers went to another place and got other thing.-. Ho had heard also of people disposing of hospital orders for two-thirds of their value and using the money to go to entertainments. lie had been disappointed with employees of tho Ileatlicote County who had declined to give Od in the pound out of their wages to assist the committee's funds. Cr. Fraer said that people with large families who received assistance from the Hospital Board on Thursdays came to the Central Depot on Mondays for further assistance to tide them over til! Thursday. Mr Hnrn.nt expiv.-scu astonishment at responsible men like Mr Searff giving credence to hearsay statements. Such statements ought to be investigated before they were given publicity, otherwise they were calculated to injure the attempts being made to raise funds. | Mr Scarff: I don't make these statei meats without knowing that I am safo. One man on a Heathcote County job, earning £4 4a -id, gave up his Saturday morning's work to go and draw rations from a depot. When I heard of it I gave instructions that lie should be put 01-f. There were present Crs. E. H. Andrews (chairman), Annie I. Fraer, J. W. Beanland, Messrs J. S. Barnett, E. J. Ecroyd, J. W. Crampton, W. W. Scarff, W. T. Foster (Mayor of Lyttelton). George Harper, l't. T. BaileyJ J. Fames, and I'. R. Climie (hon. seero tarv.