County Protest

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 1, 16 January 1937, Page 6

County Protest

— Prea« Assooiation. )

-SUSTENANCE PAY Plenty of Dseful Work Offering SOUTHLAND ATTITUDE

(By /TelegTaph-

INVEBCAEGILL, Jan. 35. The payment of sustenance to unemployed men while farmers are faced with a shortage of labour was condemned by members of the Southland County Council to-day. One couneillor stated that the making of roads in a block of land in the Hokonui district recently acquired for settlement oifered itself as useful work. The council decided to protest to the Minister of Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple. Mr L. A. Neiderer said that the council was faced with a big problem with men on sustenance. Tbey were now living in an era of prosperity, and farmers required labour, which they could not get. Having men on sustenance for the past few years had created a group which -could hardly be employed. He did not refer to those who were physically unfit. Ho thought that the Government could alford to give the men a little extra money and to put them on farm work. There were a great number of suitable jobs offering. He thought that this should be made compulsory, as it was time to niake a move. They were creating a class which would be uudesirable and wbich would be difScult to tolerate in a few years. He considered that the attention of the Government should be drawn to the seriousness of the position, as there was plenty of work offering. Work could be provided in the laying-down of roads in a bloclt of Maori country in the Hokonui district which was recently acquired by the Government for settlement. Mr A. S. McNaught said there was plenty of good, useful work offering. He lioped to see camps established in plaees where there was work suitable for.many of the men now receiving sustenance. However, so long as the Government was satislied to pay the men for doing uothing he could see no use in interfering. Mr T. Golden said be was surprised, witb prosperity close at hand, that there should be 1000 men on sustenance. He thought that the Government had made sustenance too attraetive, and the time would come to use sterner measures. It was decided that a resolution along the lines of the discussion should be sent to the Minister of Public Works. *