PRODUCTIVE WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED

Rotorua Morning Post, 31 August 1931, Page 3

PRODUCTIVE WORK FOR UNEMPLOYED

("Post" Special Commissioner.)

SINGLE MEN TO BE PLACED IN WORKS CAMPS. ' " #* DEVELOPMENT WORK.

WELLINGTON, Saturday. , The establisbment of camps for single ' unemployed men was announced by the Minister oi Labour, Hon. S. G. Smith, in a statement thi3 afternoon. Mr Smith stated that it was the aim of the ewly constituted Unemployment Board to reduce at an early date, the colo'sal expenditure going on under No.. 5 Scheme, and to provide for as much reproductive work as possible. Mr Smitb said that the new board, at its first meeting, examined the fina-ncial coneition of tlie fund which reveakd the fact that it had been overdrawn to the extent oi £22,400. " Moi*e Productive Channels. . It was unanimously agreed by member.i of the board that as a" general policy it would work in tbe direetion of diverting the present expenditure on unemployment reiief into more productive channels, " which it deems to be absjlutely essent.ial if the country's financial position is to be improved. "Local bodies throughout 'the Dominion," raid the Minister, "are complaining at the present time of the expenditure wblch they haya to ineui in -orcer to maintain the great bulk of unemployed." ' D-i ivu ouW,LU taoinhrdl uta'oinoi Camps For Single Men. With' a View to remedying this difiiculty -and at once improving the position from a policy point of view, and from the point of view of the unemployed worker himself, the Board is i proposing to establish camps for sirij gle men in the country wbere they will be able to do work of a developmental "character, and where they will be provided with g )od food and | shelter and will be able to earn ? I certain amount of pocket money. | This scheme is to be tested out ; on seeond ary highway"., backbloeks' roads, and on land development. A preliminary test will be carried out under the supervision of tbe Public | Works Department and it is antici- : pated that 1000 men will be placed in this Way immediately. Co-operated. | Should ti *a scheme prove satisfactory then all" single unemployed workers may ultimately be drafted intc ' this type of work. i It U the board'3 n dicy to co-oper- ! ate with the Public Works. Lands and : Forestry and other departments ir | this scheme.