SUBSIDISED LABOUR

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 19999, 26 July 1939, Page 12

SUBSIDISED LABOUR

62 MEN IN BOROUGH FU R TIIE R Y'. T ORK PR OP OSED SUITABLE JOBS SCARCE Sixty-Uvo men were engaged by the Gisborne Borough Council last week on work vr.-der the No. 13 -eheme of subsidised labour, and it is hoped to bring the total up to 100 before long. No. 13 scheme labour is engaged as Anzac Park .. .. I°Kaiti Hill 7 Childers road fsotpebb .. 0 Botanical Gardens . . .. 11 Waikanae Park . . • • 8 Kaiti Beach 12 Total 62 These figures were submitted to the council last night by the works committee, who urged that full advantage should be taken of labour offered under No. 13 scheme and suggested that immediate application should ibe made for the followic.g additional works: Levelling Rutene road reserve; Roberts road: marine drive, Waikanae Beach: planting, Kaiti Hill; general street beaut: fi cation.

The engineer was asked to report to next meeting of 'the council on what equipment was required to keep, say, 100 men in employment. The town clerk and engineer were instructed to interview the registrar in regard to various matters affecting the employment of subsidised labour. Engineer Submits Report

Reporting on the utilisation of No 13 scheme labour, Mr. E. R. Thcma:

stated that the total number of men employed by the council under this scheme this week was HO.

“The monetary allocation for Kaiti Beach beautification would have been spent during this week, but to prevent the 12 men employed having to cease work, the registrar of Social Security has made arrangements for a further allocation of 12 men for 10 weeks. In addition to this, approval has been granted to engage nine men on beautification work within the borough,” continued the engineer’s report.

“Two approved works not yet commenced are the cleaning up of the Town Hall site and Gladstone road beautification, six men for four weeks and 10 men l'or 10 weeks going the respective approvals. “Lack of transport for the removal of spoil from the town hall site prevents in the meantime a start being made on this work, whilst in connection with Gladstone road beautification it is not advisable to start until the placing of concrete kerbing and channelling has commenced, this work forming a foundation for any Scheme 13 work. Jobs Not Unlimited Now “In the past it was not difficult to keep a large number of men engaged for excavation and levelling works such as has been carried out at Waikanae Beach, Barry Park, Ayton Park and Anzac Park. These jobs were capable of absorbing an unlimited number of men without having to consider transport or equipment other than practically shovels and barrows. “To-day the position has considerably changed, for apart, from the completion of Anzac Park, which will take approximately six weeks, and the Botanical Gardens extension, the only works that appear are small beautification and road improvements, practically all of which necessitate transport or materials for which no provision has been made in the annual estimates.

“To consider transferring the council's lorries on to Scheme 13 works is not advisable, for authorised works which must bo undertaken before the commencement of the season's bitumen programme would be at a standstill, and in all probability be not completed before the end of the financial year.

Transport Means Essential

“With the works in hand and those in view, I fail to see how the number of men now employed can be carried on for more than two months unless some large excavation work requiring little transport can ibe found. “Some of the suggestions made at the committee meeting have been investigated with the following results: “To plant a 33ft. strip on the sea front of the council's Awapuni road property would involve the council in an estimated expenditure of £92, this sum being required to provide trees and protection fencing. “The survey of the Waikanae marine drive is now in hand, but it is difficult to see how such a work would be a great assistance in the employment of men, for the success of the job is dependent on covering after formation, which again raises the question of transport and supply of materials. As far as the investigation has proceeded, it is practically impossible to see how more than 20 or 25 men could be employed. Finance For Materials “The construction of tennis courts also raises the question of funds for materials, for pipes for under-drain-

age and grass seed, estimated at £l9 per court, is necessary. "As I have no knowledge of the area available for planting on Kaiti Hill reserve, the estimated cost of trees and fencing cannot be supplied. “Further investigation with the view of finding suitable work is now being carried out, but, as previously stated, it is difficult to see other than small jobs and, therefore, unless tne council can suggest some work of considerable magnitude, the period oi employment of the number now engaged appears limited.” The .Mayor, Mr. D. W. Coleman. . M.P.* said that in a supplementary report the engineer advised that a substantial excavation job on which a large number of men could be employed under Scheme 13 might become available. Details oi this project could not be divulged ai present, however. Further Report Promised The engineer promised that before the next meeting of the council he would have a report ready covering the whole question of Scheme 1 utilisation. In reply to Cr. J. H. Hall, he stated that Scheme 13 men could not be employed on maintenance. Cr. Hall suggested that the improvement of the road margins by the planting of swards, after chipping and levelling, would come within Scheme 13. The engineer agreed with this suggestion, but the council had to understand that transport would be involved .in these joibs. He proposed to leave the improvement of road margins until a little later, when it would not be necessary to do the work twice. The Mayor mentioned that the council could not leave heaps of spoil in the streets and must keep tile work within the scope ol‘ the transport fleet. The reports were .adopted. Beautifying' to Continue Reporting upon an interview which he and the borough engineer had had with the registrar of the Social Security Department in Gisborne, the town clerk, Mr. W. M. Jenkins, stated that the registrar had grafted approval for continuing beautifying work on the Kaiti Beach foreshore with Scheme 13 labour, and also the employment of mine men on beautifying work in the borough. Additional suitable works were also discussed, and the council was recommended to submit proposals for early consideration by the department. Mr. Jenkins added that the council’s officers desired to express appreciation' of the co-operation afforded by the registrar, Mr. Johnson.