THE UNEMPLOYED.

Hauraki Plains Gazette, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 5140, 17 June 1927, Page 2

THE UNEMPLOYED.

POSITION OBTAINING AT PAEROA. CONSIDERATION BY COUNCIL. A special meeting of the Paeroa Borough Council was held last night, the Mayor (Mr W. Marshall) presiding over Crs. P. E. Brenan, E. Edwards, F. E. Flatt, J. W. Sileock, H. J. Hare, A. E. Porritt J. Pinder, W. Turner, and the town clerk (Mr W. C. Alexander). The Mayor explained that on receipt of the following letter and the attendant alterations to the council’s plans he had deemed it necessary to call a special meeting forthwith. NORMANBY ROAD LOAN. The Treasury wrote in reply to the council that it was regretted that exemption from the requirements of the Local Government Loans Board Act could not be recommended by the Treasury unless provision was made for the repayment of the. Normanby Road special rating ■ area loan of £2OOO withiii a period of 15 years. This decision was arrived at after consultation with the Public Works Department. The Minister of Finance was being asked to grant exemption in the case of the Criterion bridge loan of £lBOO and the swimming baths loan of £2OOO.

The Mayor pointed out that the reply could pot be accepted as final, because the position involved other undertakings contemplated by the council. As it was necessary for the chairman of the Finance Committee (Cr. Flatt) and him to go to Wellington shortly, it was suggested that the matter might be taken up with the officials of the Treasury and the Pub lie Works Department ip an endeavour to get behind the impossible standard of 15 years. No further steps could be taken in regard to the proposal until exemption was granted. It was resolved on the motion of Cr. Edwards, seconded by Or. Brenan, that the matter be referred to a special sub-committee comprising- the chairman of the Finance Committee and the Mayor, and that they be authorised to go into the matter when in Wellington. After referring to the present position of the borough’s finances and the likelihoood of having to dispense with the services of at least four of the borough staff, which would mean adding to the already growing list of local unemployed, unless certain undertakings proposed were agreed to by the Local Government Loans Board.

The Mayor spoke with reference to further arrangements which had recently been made by the Government to provide employment for a number of men. The Minister of Labour (the Hon. G. J. Anderson) had stated that it was obvious that to cope with the problem local bodies would require to make further efforts. With a view to encouraging them in this direction the Government had decided to subsidise moneys borrowed for the sole purpose of the relief, of unemployment provided the works had not been included in any scheme of works for which a loan had been raised by a local authority. The Government would also subsidise voluntary subscriptions by private individuals, provided those had been handed to local bodies to be expended upon approved relief works. The subsidy would be at the rate of £ for £. Works which local bodies proposed to put in hand for the unemployment must be approved by the Public Works Department, and it would therefore facilitate matters in the passing of the loan by the Local Government Loans Board if the Public Works Department was asked to approve of the work before the loan was raised.

Continuing, the Mayor said it had occurred to him that the council might make some use of the Government’s proposal in connection with the council’s main highways proposal. If that could be done it would assist the ratepayers and at the same time provide relief for several local unemployed men and keep the borough staff at the present strength. It would be sound administration so long as it was not placing a burden upon the ratepayers. The position as it stood was serious, and something would have to be done, fit once to improve the situation. He believed the position could be grappled with all right if the council agreed to make arrangements to carry out a scheme on the lines suggested by the Government. According to the statement made at Wellington by the Minister of Labour, no work would be subsidised unless 60 per cent, of the estimated cost was to be paid for labour on the actual work done. The Government would subsidise such approved works up to 50 per cent, of the cost of the labour.

A lengthy discussion followed as to what reduction could be made in the personnel of the council’s staff.

On the motion of Cr. Brenan it was resolved to dispense with the services of four of the borough staff as from June 25. It to be understood however, that if conditions were such that they could be reasonably employed for a week after that date, they be taken on. In the event of the council being successful in its negotiations with the Government in connection with money for relief works, those men to be again offered employment.

Atfer lengthy consideration Cr. Brenqn moved, and Cr. Turner seconded, that the foreman be instructed to retain those members of the staff only who were most essential to the carrying out of the borough services.

In reply to Cr. Flatt the Mayor said that under the previous resolution the staff would be reduced to six in addition to the foreman.

The following resolutions were then passed :—

Proposed by the Mayor, and seconded by Or. Brenan : “That notice be gften that the Paeroa Borough Council propose, at a meeting to be held on Friday. July 1, 1927, to consider a, motion to apply to the Loval Government Loans Board for its sanction to the borrowing of the sum of £2OOO for the purpose of the relief of the unemployed, the said loan to be expended on bringing the foundations of the continuation of main highways

up to standard as set out in the report presented to the council on June 10, 1927 (subject to obtaining the subsidy as outlined in the statement made by the Minister of Labour and published in the N.Z. Herald on June 15, 1927).” Moved by the Mayor and seconded by Cr. Brenan : “That the Mayor and chairman of the Finance Committee be a., sub-committee to negotiate matters necessary to give effect to the foregoing resolution, with full power to act, subject only to the restriction that the minimum term of the proposed loan shall be 25 years." Cr. Edwards moved: "That the Finance Committee suspend operation of the resolution passed on June 10 with reference to making available the sum of £5OO for preliminq-ry work in connection with the highways scheme for the time being, or until such time as the Finance Committee can make "arrangements with the Local Government Loans Board.” CHILDREN’S PLAYGROUND. The Mayor referred to the statement by the Minister of Labour to the effect that the Government would subsidise voluntary subscriptions by private individuals provided the money was handed to local bodies to be expended upon approved relief works. The subsidies on such works would be at the rate of £ for £. The Mayor then moved: “That the council authorise an appeal to the public for funds for the relief of unemployment, and that such funds be devoted towards the work of constructing the children’s playground near the old railway station site.” Seconded by Cr. Hare and carried. Crs. Edwards and Brenan’s offer to undertake the work of collecting the money was gratefully accepted.