UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20180, 7 March 1931, Page 16

UNEMPLOYMENT.

men put off work. ' ' f, DOMAINS BOARD'S ACTION. The action of the Domains Board in putting men off work under the Unemployment Board's No. 5 Scheme, owing to the request made that the Board, should provide accident insurance cover, and the subsequent reengaging of the men was discussed at the meeting of the Board yesterday, over which Mr George Harper pre- . sided. .•■.,■■■ ■; . •' ' The hon. secretary (Mr P. R. Climie) . of tW Unemployment Committee wrote that under the conditions of the No. 5 Scheme the question of insurance was one .that concerned the local bodies. The City Council and other local bodies employing labour under the scheme Were arranging their' own insurance, and it would certainly be advisable for the Board to do similarly. Temporary Cover Arranged. The chairman said that when the question came up, at the Unemployment Committee lie had seconded the motion -asking that' the Government should provide a■> "blanket" policy to cover casual labour, and the motion had been carried. He had communicated .with the treasurer, Mr H. Kitson, who' had arranged to insure the men Otherwise it would have meant putting the men off until the decision of the Government was known. The Hon. D. Buddo: I think you did quite right. ' , • Mr Kitson said that lie had got cover at 80s per £IOO of wages actually t>aid. • It would amount to £0 per - The chairman: The scheme rends at the end of March. ■ ' Mr Kitson said that the total expenditure would be, probably, £24. The men were doing a great deal of work cleaning up the parks, "work that j>rdbably the Board could' not have got done for £24. " Mr Bnddo moved: "That the action of the chairman and the treasurer be approved." He : said >that the circumstances of the case were- 4 peculii}r. ' The. scheme was not intended to go 1 beyond, the end of the present, month, althoughthere might "bo an extension,- or some ' other scheme to take its place. At the present moment harvest/work was practically over and there would be an increase, rather thah a decrease, m' unemployment. Oood Worlc Done. 'MrR. B. Owen asked-if there was a'definite programme* of works. The cleaning up would be ofnae. but it themen were only tinkering nere and there the results would not be apparent. J The chairman said that the work done had been inspected, and it was: certainly good work, and work that otherwise would not have been * done. They seemed to be an excellent body of men. There was work to be done on the "cabbagejpatch," bait out of courtesy to the Hospital Board the. Board had to give three months' notice of to -resume the area; other-: Wise, the Work could be put m hand at once. - ' > Mr Kitson, referring to the work on ,the site of the -former „ acclimatisation gardens,, said^that, the, Boawr not ( take in more land and keep it" ctdtJvated:. it would - he .necessary to Ueaie thsfold ac&imetif&tion grounds ,more.or less in rougH grass. There lm at honest the 4m. wA ; notj L decision, of f the Gardens', and Parks Committee. . 1 V 1 Tho irifttion was to. i',l l , A- LL ,&?■