XMAS SUBSIDIES

Hokitika Guardian, 11 December 1930, Page 5

XMAS SUBSIDIES

FIRST VOTE USED UP. (By Telegraph I —Per Press Association.) WELLINGTON December 10. The sum of £25,000 allocated by the Unemployment Board for subsidies to local bodies on the bas s of ij'l to £1 has been exhausted, according to an official statement made today.

It is hoped that this sum, with the amounts to he provided by the local bodies, will result in work being found for 2,1C0 men throughout the Dominion between now and the end of next month.

It is suggested that employment should be given in altering period, where necessary, so that the men may be found at least one fortnight’s work. The attention of the Board is now being turned to its .second scheme, under which it will subsidise wages up to seven shillings per day on a pound for pound basis. The chief concern at the moment is the formation of Local Committees, and the Board is particularly anxious that these bodies should be formed as soon as possible, as it will he through them that the operation of this scheme will be carried out,

A large dumber of iiiqulries have already been made for. assistance, and it, appears thut the second £25,000 set aside by the Board for this measure of Christmas relief will be as eagerly sought as was the first sum. ACCIDENT LIABILITY. QUESTION. Apprehension has been expressed in many quarters concerning the liability of the employers for compensation in the case Of accident to those men to whom they give casual employment. It appears that if a casual employee is injured the employer will be liable for compensation. This will not prove a serious consideration to many who re insured against accidents to their employees but it is natural that many persons who give a man work for a day or two in a garden or in other casual employment will not be protected. The question was discussed at to-day’s meeting of the Board, and it is expected that a satisfactory solution of this problem will be reached. An appeal is made to civic authorities to take the initiative in the formation of the Local Committees. The Board has emphasised that the assistance and co-operation of these committees will be essential to the working of the second scheme. LOW WAGE DANGER, The Board’s subsidy will not exceed seven shillings per day in any once case, hut the actual wages to be paid to relief workers under the scheme will be a matter for mutual arrangement between the employer and the employee. This means that while it might be possible for the employer to pay n man 7s a day, so bringing the wages up to 14s day, there will probably be others who will not be able to do so. In that case, less will have to be accepted, but the opinion is that the men will be advised to accept temporary work at lower wages rather than make it impossible for employers to take them on at all by demanding high rates of pay.