UNEMPLOYMENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 20

UNEMPLOYMENT.

RELIEF OF DISTRESS. } i ACTION BY FARMERS’ UNION. } HAMILTON, May 20. 1 Practical measures for relieving the s widespread destitution and hardship that : prevail in Auckland this winter were taken by the Auckland provincial con- ' ference of the Farmers’ Union at Hamil- ( ton to-day. Hearty support was accorded a scheme submitted by Mr H. Gill (Te , Puke) for distributing surplus stock and foodstuffs to those in need. Mr Gill said that while the farmers •were living on their capital and borrowed capital there were others in a worse position than themselves. He referred especially to the unemployed, and he thought perhaps that the machinery of the Farmers’ Union should be used to reduce considerably the discomforts of those who did not know where their next meal was coming from. Few farmers were in a position in which they could not supply a certain amount of foodstuffs for the unfortunate people in the cities. He suggested that the union should combine in sending supplies to the social organisations in Auckland. These goods should be transported and distributed free of cost. He believed it would redound to the credit of the union if they assisted social conditions in the city this winter in the manner he had suggested. A resolution was carried expressing approval of the proposal. TYPE OF RELIEF WORK MORE PERMANENT NATURE DESIRED. WELLINGTON, May 21. Closer co-operation between the Unemployment Board and the Main Highways Board to enable the unemployment relief funds to be spent on works of permanent economic value was advocated at a meeting to-day of the executive of the North Island Motor Union. Recently the union asked the Unemployment Board to subsidise the Highways Board where the latter was employing men on relief work, but the request was declined by the Unemployment Board. Mr N. H. Mackie (Palmerston North) Baid the effect of the expenditure on the present relief works was that money was being frittered away on undertakings of a trivial stop-gap nature. With coordination between the Unemployment Board and' the Highways Board they would have works of some permanent economic value instead of a heavy expenditure on weeding paths, which would be overgrown within a month, and other work of a similar character by scattered gangs doing far short of a day’s work. The expenditure of a similar amount on works of a necessary and permanent character could reasonably be demanded in

the interests of the country, the counties, the motorists, and the relief workers themselves. Mr F. J. Hill (Wanganui) said he thought the matter should be followed up with a view to having some of the unemployment funds spent on main highways. Mr A. Grayson (Auckland) said he believed there wae no power in the Act to spend money’ on roads included in any scheme of works. It seemed that some amendment to the Act would be necessary. Mr Hill was deputed to place the position before the Minister of Railways (Mr W. A. Veitch) and report back to the executive. The chairman (Mr W. A. O'Callaghan) said he thought the Government should be approached with a view to having the Act amended. The subject was brought up again in the late afternoon, when Mr Hill said that since the morning's discussion he had interviewed Mr Veitch, who had also had representations from the Wanganui Association on the matter.

NON-PAYMENT OF LEVY PROSECUTIONS TN CHRISTCHURCH. CHRISTCHURCH. May 21. Thomas Cree, sen., engineer, of Hereford street, was fined £2 and costs for employing his son for more than a week without the authority of the Unemployment Board when the son was in arrears in the payment of instalments Thomas Cree, jun., of Kilmore street, was fined £3 and costs for failure to pay the levy within the time. David Alexander Taylor, of Huxley street, on a similar charge, was fined £2 and costs. The magistrate (Mr E. D. Mosley, said to Cree, jun.: There is not much to be said for you. All of us fortunate enough to be in work can help the poor chaps who are not. It is up to us as ! men to help. The prosecution said the defendant had been boasting that he did not intend to pay the levy. PROVISION OF ADDITIONAL FUNDS STATEMENT BY MINISTER. AUCKLAND, May 23. The provision at an early date of additional funds for unemployment relief was foreshadowed by the Minister of Labour (Mr S. G. Smith) speaking at Mercer. “ I hope to provide, additional money,” said the Minister, “ for the pur pose of augmenting the relief works during the winter months. Within the next few days I hope that an announcement will be made by the Prime Minister (Mr G. W. Forbes) setting out the details of a scheme which I am sure will be of considerable interest, if it is approved and the money is available. Among others it will be of interest to farmers, especially those who have no money coming in.”

The Leader of the Labour Party (Mr H. E. Holland), said Mr Smith, had suggested that standard rates could be paid on relief works by increasing the land and income tax, but the Labour Party apparently did not know that there were to-day among the registered unemployed • hundreds of men who last year had paid income tax. The farmers were receiving ; no income on which to pay tax and some of the business men were not receiving enough to make them eligible. Consequently the additional money that Mr Holland wanted would have to come from the land. Furthermore, no one knew what the assessable incomes would be for this or next year. All were down and the opportunity of collecting additional taxation from assessable incomes this year was not as great as it had been for many years past. In replying to the criticism that much of the work given to the unemployed was useless, the Minister pointed out that the responsibility for the class of work was with the local bodies and not with the Unemployment Board, which merely paid the wages. “ The saddest part of the unemployment problem is the unemployment of women,” added the Minister. “ There are scores of young women who for the first time find themselves unable to get work. In Auckland city alone twothirds of the women in the clothing trade are either unemployed or working short time. Many of them have no homes to go to, no friends and no money. We cannot have young women sleeping out, and one of the big things to do is to devise some scheme that will meet the position. I hope in a few days to be able to make a statement covering the efforts of the board to meet the problem of the unemployed women of New Zealand.” CONFERENCE OF LOCAL BODIES The Otago Hospital Board has adopted the following resolution: —“That this board invites the co-operation of the City Council, Local Unemployment Committee, Harbour Board, Manufacturers’ Association, Chamber of Commerce, Trades and Labour Council, Rotary Club, and other bodies to confer on the question of unemployment, with a view to formulating sug- , sections for work of a more permanent and productive nature, and to produce a concrete policy to place before the Gov- ■ eminent.” This conference will be held i at 2 p.m. on Thursday, in the City Council Chambers.