RURAL WORK SUBSIDY

Hokitika Guardian, 13 December 1930, Page 2

RURAL WORK SUBSIDY

LOW WAGE MENACE,

BOARD . AVERTS IT.

(By Telegraph—Press Association)

WELLINGTON, December 12

That portion of the Unemployment Board scheme relating to the subsidy on harvesting work has drawn criticism from the Secretary of tile New Zealand Worker's’ Union, who said, in a statement published to-day, that the scheme would tend to break down the few Arbitration Court awards operating in the interests of rival workers. He added that his Union-had instructed the workers to refuse to accept work on the harvest fields at a lesser rate than - that- paid, to the threshing mill workers. Under the' ; Board’s scheme'• a : subsidy, will .he paid on the wages of the men engaged in harvesting, provided, of course, that they are engaged as a special relief measure, and not in the ordinary course of employment by the employer.

The point at issue has been definitely cleared up by a special memorandum drawn up by the Soafd today, for the local committees, and which reads ! ‘‘The Board wishes specially to emphasise .that the harvesting to be included for subsidy doesi not include the harvesting of wheat,, oats, barley or maize, unless for ensilage; nor does it include harvesting where the labour would otherwise be engaged in any ease,”' \,,y J ■; >

BOARD CRITICISED. <,. ' ■ • • " ' ■ ; v•. • •': LOW WAGE MENACE. WELLINGTON, December 11. Mr A. Cook, secretary of the New Zealand Workers’ Union, and President of the New Zealand Alliance of Labour, in a statement says the Unemployment Board’s No. 2 scheme to subsidise harvesting wages will, tend to break down the few Arbitration Court awards operating in the interests of rural workers. His union bad already instructed the whole of the membership to refuse to accept work in harvesting fields at a lesser rate than that paid to. threshing mill.-work-ers. He says: “It may- be argued by the Unemployment Board, and there are no Arbitration Court. awards operating for harvesting, " ploughing, drainage vVrk, scrub cutting, etc. This is admitted, but the Arbitration Court awards for threshing mill workers at the present .time is. Is 10-Jd per hour, with food, Mr Cook said that- any exciise the Board may , have fOr ..assisting wool-' gfmvefs and daffy M’&rmOrii/-OOfild not logically apply to gr&itt, growths, as the pricS"of all cereals still ffetnain exceedingly good, Mr Ransom spoke the truth when lie told the farmers that the Unemployment, Act would benefit them, “There is another obnoxious matter which directs a further blow at the unemployed worker, that, is , to compel him to pay the levy tax whether he is in employment or not when it falls due,’’ said Mr • @ook.y “Will Mr Smith tell unemployed workers how they are going to pay .this tax :if they havn’t got the money to pay it with? Possibly he null, instruct/the Board to bring down a scheme 'where by workers so situated will be sent to work for farmers at reduced rates .of pay, the farmers to act as debt collectors for the Unemployment Beard,” A oarngraph of the report Bhid:— “While it might be Sn employer to pay a : man 7s ’ a day,; to bring the rate of 14s a day-, there will probably be others who will be able to do so. In that case, less will have to be accepted, but the opinion is that men will be advised to accept. temporary work at lower wages that

make it impossible for employers to

i; put them on at all,, by demanding - high rates of pay.” If the workers of New Zealand, said Mr Cook,;, did wish to he brought to the verge, of penury they would refuse in a .body to accept, work under the

Board’s scheme, unless npt guarante-

:-ed a wage equal to that paid under Court awards in similar or closely related industries.