RELIEF SCHEME

Hokitika Guardian, 14 February 1933, Page 4

RELIEF SCHEME

FOR NEW ZEALAND UNEMPLOYED MR SULLIVAN’S PROPOSAL. (Per Press Association — Copyright.) WELLINGTON, Feb. 12. With the object of utilising the unemployed at their own trades, and at the same time assisting the families of relief workers to obtain personal and household needs without any additional cost to the State, Mr B. G. Sullivan reiterated his idea of making .the unemployed /work for the unemployed}, when speaking on the Small Farms (Relief of Unemployment) Bill in the House of Representatives.

‘The idea,” said Mr Sullivan, . “is that the unemployed should 'work for the unemployed, instead of as at present for local bodies. An inventory should be made of the requirements of relief workers. For instance, cnui-net-makei's are out of work, and unemployed men’s families are destitute of furniture. Let the unemployed cabinetmaker be put into a factory, making furniture lor the destitute family, his wages to be paid out of the unemployment funds. The same thing could be done in respect to clothing and other necessities.” The scheme could be worked out by a conference of representatives of the trades unions affected, the employers in the trade, and the Unemployment Board. Relief workers would be much happier working at their own trades; distressed families would be able to secure much needed necessities, trade would be stimulated, and even if those who received the goods never paid for them, th 9 public finances would not bo one whit worse off than at present, when local bodies and farmers were given the free services of the unemployed at the cost of the taxpayer.