LABOUR BUREAU.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20106, 9 December 1930, Page 17

LABOUR BUREAU.

CHANGE OF SITE | SUGGESTED. CITY COUNCIL DISCUSSION. "It is not fair to ask young women to go in mid out of offices in Hereford street because of these men standing about, the Labour Bureau, and the attention of the police should be drawn to them," said Cr. W. Williamson at last night's meeting of the City Council at question time, concerning the unemployed who congregate daily in that portion of the street. Cr. E. H. McCombs said that the men referred to were in the habit of standing near the bureau because they were looking for work, which they might get at any time of the day. How, she asked, could these men be expected to g'"t .jobs if they were not available when required ' They were anxious to get employment, anil she hoped that i lie Council would not do anything which might make it more difficult for them. Bureau Too Small. Or. L. P.. Nenlo said that the trouble was that the bureau was too small for its purpose. It had to be remembered, he added, that the men had to go M>mewhere to get contact with any work which might lie offering for them. Cr. C. E. Jones said that he had sent to the bureau for men for odd jobs on some occasions. lie agreed that the building was unsuitable, are he would like to suggest that the Government should temporarily engage the liing Edward Barracks for the purpose. The Mayor (Mr J. K. Archer) said that no man wished to deprive the unemployed of work; but he thought that a small minority of the men who did not want work were the worst offenders. lie felt sure that these were the men who were the subject of complaint. Unfortunately, the City Council had had some experience of these men. Cr. Jones moved that the Minister for Labour be requested to remove the Labour Bureau to the King Edward Barracks. "Eager to Get Work." This was seconded by Cr. J. W. Bean land, who stated {hat yesterday he had gone to the bureau, and found the passages filled with men, all of whom were eager to get work. Tf these men were not there when work was offering, and their names were called they would lose it. It was annoying to the Drainage Board to heat the men talking outside the Board's offices when meetings were being held; but he realised that it must be tolerated. Cr. A. E. Armstrong expressed the opinion that some employers might state that there was no unemployment in the City if the men were allowed to assemble in the Barracks, where they would be out of sight of the public. Voices: No! No! "It. should be no eyesore to see men out of work," continued Cr. Armstrong. "It is a disgrace in a young country like this for men to have to go looking into garbage tins. If you are going to put, the men in the Barracks simply to hide them away from the public, I am against the proposal." Cr. Armstrong added that where there was so much unemployment about New Zealand boys could * not be blamed for being "cheeky" sometimes. Cr. Lyons: Some of them are very precocious. (Laughter.) The motion was carried. Later, Cr. Williamson said that practically every employer in the Dominion was in sympathy with the unemployed, and was doing his best to meet the position. No objection was being taken to the men looking for work; but there was objection to those who were leading, or misleading, them. SMALL DEMONSTRATION. Carrying banners bearing the words, "Support the Unemployed Workers' Movement," "Work or Wages," and "Fools Starve—Men Fight," the unemployed of Christchurch held yesterday morning a minor and orderly demonstration. After meeting in Victoria square they marched to the Trades Hall, with the request that the Canterbury Trades and Labour Council should grant affiliation to the Unemployed Workers' Movement as a bona fide working men's organisation. The reply by Mr H. Worrall tliat their request would be given fair consideration was received with satisfaction, and the men thereupon in a relied through Cathedral square back to Victoria square. The total number in the procession was fewer than Others followed raggedly 011 bievcle.s. while others a ornin walked at- the side on the footpaths. At the corner of Gloucester street the procession met five policemen. At Victoria sanare five more nolieemen arrived. The men were tbnn'-ed hv their leaders for such an nrdorlv disolav. and were asked to turn out again to-day

RELIEF WORKS, CITY COUNCIL SCHEDULE. The Water Supply and Works Committee reported to the City Council last night that the City Engineer had prepared a schedule of relief works totalling £2295, which had been submitted to the Resident Engineer of the Public Works Department for his approval. The works, which consisted principally of street widening, would contain 63 per cent, of labour (£1445). Forty men were engaged and commenced work on December Ist, and it was anticipated that by the end of the week 100 men would' be engaged. An application hnd been made to the Unemployment Hoard for a subsidy on the linos set out in a circular letter providing for Christmas relief works, and the IJoard bad intimated that the subsidv would bo granted. The report was adopted.

bureau besieged. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) AUCKLAND, December 8. Buoyed up with a hope of securing immediate employment, men crowded '.he Government unemployment bureau lli is morn i ng, and a queue three and loi;r deep overflowed into the street. The attraction was an announcement that the Unemployment Board had granted subsidies totalling £2143 to Lhe City Council. It is estimated that over 1000 men registered during the morning. The City Council will engage eighty for a fortnight. Although this number is> comparatively small, it is regarded as a good sign by the unemployed, and an indication that the Unemployment Board is doing its utmost to open up work for as many as possible by

PLIGHT OF SINGLE MEN. [THE PRESS Special Service.] AUCKLAND, December 8. "I was told by the Labour Department to-day that 2500 jobs are required to give anything liko an adequate supply of work to those seeking employment in Auckland at the present time," said Mr W. E. Parry, M.P. for Auckland Central. Thinking there was a possibility that work might be found for some men in the installation of the proposed standby power plant at Huntly. Mr Parry telegraphed to the Minister for Public Works, asking when tniit work was to be undertaken. Mr Parry said the plight of single on the unemployed list was particularly difficult. Naturally preference was given to married men with dependents, and there appeared to be insufficient work to enable others to be engaged. PROTEST AGAINST RELIEF PAY. (press association telegram.) NAPIER, December 8. The Hawke's Bay County Council to-day resolved: "That a protest be made against the Government paying 14s per day on relief works, as by so doing farmers are unable to get men to work on farms at a weekly wage or tjJ get harvesters under 2s per hour. Further, farmers are unable to take advantage of the 7s offered as subsidy on productive works." ft was considered that relief pay should be made as unattractive as possible, in order not to attract men from other employment. One member suggested that the rate should be 9s or jOs oer day. (press association telegram.) DUNED'N, December 8. At a meeting of the Chamber of Commerce to-night, a resolution was carried emphatically protesting against the payment of 14s ">er day for relief work for the unemployed.