N.S.W. EXPERIMENT

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 513, 22 April 1933, Page 6

N.S.W. EXPERIMENT

REPLACING THE DOLE iRATIONING OF WORK IN PLAOE OF RELIEF PAY. PAYMENTS IN CASH. .Sydney, Saturday. A sch'eme of immense possibilities in meeting the unemployment problem is -envisaged in an experiment to be undertaken by the Department of Labour this week in the Sutherland district. . It is estimated that for an expenditure of between £2,000,000 and £3,000,000 a year every man in receipt of food relief could be given rationed work, for which he would be paid substantially more than th'e value of his relief order. The Sutherland scheme -will be tested over the next three months. It wilLprovide work at basic wage rates for 1000 men living within the shire boundaries. The rationing schedule. ancjjj^ the J wages to be paid have been w'orked out as follow. — Single men, 1 day in 5 — 14s. Married men (without children), H days in 5, 17s 6d. Married men (one child), li days in 5, 21s. Married men (two or three children), 2 days in 5, 28s. Married men (six or seven children) 2£ days in 5, 35s. Married men (isx or seven children) 3 days in 5, 42s. The arrangement provides that single men will benefit by 9s 6d a week above what they would receive in the value of food relief, and married men would benefit proportionately — up to 17s, 6d a week at the other end of the scale. Under the scheme of relief works already approved 28,000 men are in employment, and in authorising the works consideration was given to specifie proposals submitted by the employing authorities. In the Sutherland sch'eme, however, the work will be localised, and it is hoped that as the scheme develops all the unemployed in the shire will be absorbed. Sutherland was selected for the test' because of its compactness and comparative isolation. Big Savings. The Government will provide the funds; the council will supply all materials and tools, and undertake the supervision of the works. The men will be called up in the order of their registration at the local labour exchange. If the scheme is successful it will be extended to other municipalities, and ultimately perhaps to all the State. In that event, it is said huge savings would be effected in the cost of reiief works carried out under the existing system. The scheme was devised by the Minister for Labour (Mr. Dunningham). "One of its features is that the wage will add directlv to the buying power of the community," he said, "in that the men will be paid in cash. "Provision has been made for the employment of men other than labourers, including gangers, timekeepers, tool sharpeners, oifice assistants, and others who would ordinarily be compelled to aceept unskilled work on jobs for which they are unsuited." Work will be available on three days of each week, two days being kept in reserve in case of wet weather. Awiaiting Result. Mr. Dunningham says that applications have been received for the introduction of similar schemes in other municipalities, but he will await the report of his officers on its application in Sutherland before extending it to other districts. The work already decided upon for the Sutherland Shire are the restoration of President Avenue Bridge; Saville Creek Bridge; North-west Arm Road, Sutherland-Woniora River Road, the Little Boulevarde, Menai Road, Waratah Street, Acacia Road, Oyster Bay 'Road, Price's Avenue, Garnet Road, Corea Road, construction of Port Hacking Road, cleaning out of water tables, re-forming road formations, footways, and general maintenance work on roads, bridges, drains and footpaths.