Employment options strong

Ruapehu Bulletin, Volume 11, Issue 493, 6 July 1993, Page 10

Employment options strong

Raetihi opinion is still running strong re- ' garding the New Zealand Employment Service, the unemployed and the plans by the Service to set up a work scheme to demolish the old butcher's building in Seddon Street. The Employment Service has chosen to defend itself by highlighting its successes (see separate story this issue), while others defend the view of Raetihi promotions group chairman John Dobson. Many employed and unemployed people the Bulletin spoke to feel the Employment Service does need improving and that the story ( Bulletin 22 June) was timely in telling them so. People felt the service does do things of a beneficial na-

ture, but that they could do more. People of the Raetihi community have very strong views and opinions of the issues that have been brought up through the articles relating to the Employment Service, the building itself and the unemployed. Some views expressed include the following: "The Employment Service needs a swift kick. Surely someone could have supervised the unemployed and got them to earn their keep by pulling the butcher shop down". "Why don't they (the Employment Service) get them (the unemployed) around the streets helping the Council tidy Raetihi up. They get paid for sitting on their bums all day, at least if they

were doing something construetive they may decide to be less destructive". "I have always said that there should be more women in Government. That way the unemployed would be made to do something". "There are the genuine unemployed who are looking for work and I -feel sorry for them but there are a lot of them around here who enjoy being unemployed and wouldn't know what an honest day's work was". "I'm unemployed and I know it's not my fault. I know there are some unemployed who don't want to work, but don't think I'm one of them". In regard to the petition referred to in the Bulletin article 'Eyesore Story Draws Anger', 29

June , the following comments were made: "People say to give those buildings to the youth but what those people may or may not know is that it was the youth who destroyed the butcher shop". "Just remember it's not the only building the youth have squatted in and tried to burn down". "The person who signed the petition wanting the building to go to the youth for something good like a disco building should have organized it himself or herself? That type of thing would have needed constant supervision and who would have done that?". "All I would like to say is that they only had 90 signatures on the petition when there are

over 1200 people in Raetihi. I think that speaks for itself'. Finally the comment of one person who's point of view appears to be aired by many - "why doesn't everyone just let it go. The building has gone now so I don't see what use this bitching about it is. It won't bring the building back, thank God".