UNEMPLOYMENT

Hokitika Guardian, 19 May 1933, Page 8

UNEMPLOYMENT

YiTNIEB RELIEF 'SCHEME

BUILDING SUBSIDY lIEVIVED

AUCKLAND, May -17

As part of the UnemplQyment Board's winter relief plans thpre will shortly he considered the qijestion of drafting city married men in .small groups to country tumps conducted, by the Public Works Department,.. . .at wh:cli full time employment, with wages based at the rate of .IQs a day, will be available. An appeal for Auckland’s co-operation in the .scheme was made by the Hon, Adam Haniilto», Minister for Employment, who •said it wins essential that the. load °f relief carried by r the cities should b? lightened dining the winter so that the condition of the unemployment fund should not he imperilled and in order that casual work in cities might reach a larovu; number of men, ‘! he advantage of the small group idea,” s aid Air . Hamilton, Vis that men arc easily transported from one work to another. In the north there are many opportunities for..the class cf wnr.k I have mentioned, and, with tiie prospect of fall time employment it should appeal to married men from the cities.”.

The Minister explained, that pnyI inept \vas on l.i. piecework .systepi, based on wages at the rate of lQg a day, enabling men to earn £3 a.week. - s no rent payment would hive to lie mot, tire only outgoings on the part of the men, would bo for fqodr stuffs. Statistics governing such .camp undertakings showed that the. average worked, out at 9s a man a week. In addition, returns recently taken out showed that in public works camps in..the Auckland .province over a long period on nveiyge .weekly wane of £3 was earned in many cases, whib in only one instance was the average less than £2 . los. ‘‘These wages are more than those earned by workers under the- So. 5 relieipo,”. said the Minister, . “and I sincerely tro s fc th-it in the manning of these, public, .works camp:?, there will be a oTpcl response from married men in. Auckland.

BUILDING LUDSIDY ftp BE

GRANTED

Referring., to. ptliep .-proposals for assisting .the -.unemployed dining the winter, the., Minister, confirmed the .statement that it was intended to revive, the building subsidy.-or. No. IQ 'Scheme for .the period, of the Winter. The : ipurpo.se.,• was- to stimulate.-the building industry which, when operating normally, was responsible for the payment of a. very substantial ■wages bill. This ye.a.r Scheme would be placed on a different basis from, that in operation last year. Previous .experience had .brought to light one or two difficulties,,' palp ticularly. those of . the small contractor, and on this oetla-sion ; the tinemployment Board was endeavouring.’ to overcome them, before announcing the details. ,■ V Mr Hamilton said if was hoped That in r view of the jsteps taken, by the I board and the Government to provide for unemployment relief the [ total registrations during the. winter would not greatly exceed tlie peak figure, reached last year. ' Notwithstanding the criticism, the No. 5 scheme wt-.s -filling a useful purpose and nhsoi biug large numbers of “• Men; while, with tlie extension of the Public Works camps scheme, and revival of tlie building subsidy, scheme, more men were being. reabsorbed in their old trades. On present indications, hearing in mind the slight improvement noted in oversea prices, the outlook generally,, was hopeful.