UNEMPLOYMENT

Evening Post, Volume CXI, Issue 30, 5 February 1931, Page 4

UNEMPLOYMENT

DISBURSING THE LEVY SUGGESTION TO BOARD

The Unemployment Board has received from several local authorities suggestions that tho levy colleetod in each district should be disbursed in that district, stated the chairman of the board (Hon. S. G. Smith) yesterday. At first glance this appeared to be a reasonable proposition, but on. examination, it was found that it would be both impracticable and unfair to adopt such a course. "A serious objection is that the proposal would involve the partitioning of the Dominion into zones and the institution of a separate account for each zone," said the Minister. "Necessarily this would entail a spocial' staff, thus adding to the expense of collecting the levy. • '/Further, as the incidence of the lovy was unequal as between districts with large or small populations, it might happen that a district that provided; say, only £1000 in levy payments, would be able to find reproductive work, representing many times that amount. ' "For instance, in regard to a locality with less than, 100 permanent inhabitants and a levy contribution of less than £150, the Unemployment Board is considering an application for a subsidy and a loan aggregating £20,000 in aid of important land settlement work that will provide work for 500 men for at leapt two months. These mcn^will be recruited from a district which has a very large number of Unemployed. "Many similar instances could be quoted, ana all supply evidence that it would be impossible equitably to distribute the funds as suggested. Where essential work is available men will bo found to do it, though they may have to be sent from other districts. ' "Finally" the organisation of Telief work is a national undertaking, ,and must be carried out with due regard for the right of every unemployed man to be given an equal opportunity of obtaining work,''

The last remaining public letterwriter in Paris, a woman, now uses a typewriter instead of a pen. Her "office" is a chair outside the St. Lazare Prison, and love letters are her specialty.