UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

Hokitika Guardian, 6 August 1930, Page 2

UNEMPLOYMENT RELIEF

TIMARU SCHEME CONSIDERED ... -v 'TIMARUj Aug. 3. “So far as providing adequate relief for the Timaru unemployed to. December 31st. the Waima'taitai relief scheme .will- not fill the .bill.” This statement, which may shatter the hopes of many of the local unemployed, was made by Mr Clyde Can-, M.P. for Timaru, at a-meeting--of some one hundred unemployed at Timaru today. Mr Carr Also criticised the method of selection of men as at present done by the Borough Council, suggesting that, as in other places, this should he done by the Labour Department. At this meeting, also, the unemployed of Timaru took the first definite steps towards organising themselves, when they formed a committee with a chairman and secretary to, act in their interests.

Mr Carr who was present by invitation, touching on the present Waimataitai drainage relief scheme, stated that it was very undesirable that he should quarrel with the council, quite apart from the fact that he wished to keep on the best possible terms with all local bodies' * which' was to the interest of. thA'uHemployedk He bad been in communication' with the Minister of Public Wpfkap andfdiad pointed out that thej jtpriifs of (the agreement between the Mayoy of Timaru,< Mr W.; Angland, t ancl. tl]e Minister regarding the scheme was that the subsidy WrtS ito.;. be-i; £2j for £.l .up to, £7OO on ivages only, , which would not provide work. for. the unemployed residents of Timaru until' December 31st.. 1930, as specified. Apart from whether this relief was adequate or otherwise, he would take , it as, his duty to do whatever was necessary in the interests of the unemployed. The Waimataitai job was, one .-.of cleaning up and straightening the.Oreek, and would not. absorb more than twenty or so men. at one time, because, if more than two or three chains were opened up at one time, a flood would result.) So far from provjijjihgj adequate! relief for Ji-... maru’s ii)}4msibyedj: to tlj'e end of the year, it |\\|>ijiijl! :iipt, Btl, .the ,bill. . The pi 1 e-drivi-i|; And(joilcretihg work was in a wa/cikißfe.u lglijqunng, and the scheme mot entirely a relief one. ' ;

Speakii|j;.pf the method of selecting the men,||i|ie Carrhsaid that lie had 1 made representations to the iMinister that thisjjskotiliLl she* done by- the iL’dbouri Department in all relief works, as they were in touch with the individual history of tlie cases and in the best position to select the men. The Department did so elsewhere. Continuing, lie said he had beeii urging the Minister for a year that when the present relief scheme was completed, the work of cleaning and concreting the creek bed should be continued in from Eviibfe to Selwyli Street, in which area Were many Government homes.