RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Volume 58, Issue 56, 9 April 1929, Page 8

RELIEVING UNEMPLOYMENT

CITY COUNCIL'S EFFORTS. UNEXPENDED ' LOAN MONEY TO BE USED. AN OTHER LOAN SUGGESTED. Unexpended unemployed loan money totalling £1180 being in the hands of the Napier City Council for concrete cliannelling and kerbing and slab making and laying, the council decided at its meeting last night to proceed with the work at piay rates of 14s a day, irrespective of a man's station. The councii also deeided to apply for a £2377 loan for widening Lawrence road and planting a triangular section at the junction of Thackeray street extension with Carlyle street by unemployed labour. It was stated that local unemployed men would be employed first, married men beiiig given the preference. The Mayor said some of the works could be commenced next week. A report reviewing the unemploved problem was tabled by the engineer, ifrG. F. Clapcott. who stated: — "I submit the following particulars regarding balance of loan money, plns Government subsidy agreed to be pairl on same still unexpended, also works that could he taken in hand and cost of same. T\ e have still unexpended on the last loan £1,180. Of this amount Gf)_per cent is required for materials (£708) leaving £472 for labour. Adding the Government subsidy a total sum of £667 will be available. This work refers to concrete kerbing and channelling .also slabmaking and laying. This will keep six men employed for six montbs. "On the Napier South extension drainage works we will be able to emI'joy eiglit men in addition to the ordinary staff. There will he 110 Government subsidy on tliis work. OTHER WORKS SUITABLE. "In regard to other works suitable for employing a large percentage of labour, reclamation work at the Port lagoon is no doubt by far the most suitable as 75 per cent of the cost is labour and at the same time the most rcproductive class of work. Anotlier work which would assist greatlv is the formation of the new road through part of the Ormond estate, connecting Chaucer road south with Guy's Hlil road. The whole road way has been schemed out requires consideration by the council. The Jargest proportion ot this construction includes a sehgme of roading bv the Ormond truEteos and has been before the council. The proposed connecting portion from Ihe end of this new road on to Guy's HjII road is the section requiring tlie council's consideration. "If arrangements can be made to carry out tlie wliole work this Winter 10 men could he kept empjoved. "Other proposed works are: Widening Lawrence road from just above the entrance to the Botanical Gardens to the top of the liill adjaeent to the Nurses' Home. I estiinate the cost of tliis will be £1110. SUGGESTED TENNIS COURTS. "Anotlier work is preparing ground for tennis courts on municipal lands adjacent to Faraday street extension. The approximate cost of same is £1218. "In regard to the matter of preparing and laying down in grass and planting the triangular section of land lying between the new extension of Thackeray street and Carlyle street from George's Drive back to the stable yard. I have gone into the cost of same. It is proposed that the ground should be prepared and sown down and planted out with medium size ornamental trees and shrubs, both flowering and otber kinds. Around tlie boundary of the area provision is made for constructing a limestone wall 2ft 3in high. I estimate the total cost for the complete work will he £730. This area beautified will certainly acld greatly to the attractiveness of this locality, the entrance to the town. "In connection with the above works labour will absorb the greater proportion of the cost." The council deeided that the borough engineer be instructcd to proceed with slabmaking and concrete kerbing and channelling in according with his report ; that application be made to have the subsidy on the abovo work increased from the relief rate of wages, i.e., 9s and 12s, to 14s per day, irrespective of whether the men employed are married or single ; and that tlie following works be included in a loan for the relief of unemployment : — Widening Lawrence road, £1,110 ; cleaning up, preparing and laying down in grass and planting ornamental trees and shrubs the triangular section at tlie junction of Thackeray street extension with Carlyle street, and constructing a limestone wall, £730; slabbing Munro street from tlie Catholic Churcli to Thackeray street. preparing parking area beliind Municipal Theatre and severn] other works, tlie tc-tal cost being £537; total for loan, £2377. The borough engineer was instructed to report on the question of cleaning up and planting the hillside of the Marino Pnrade from Coote road to the foot of the Breakwater. A letter from Mr W. E. Barnard, M.P., stated that there were 158 unemployed men in Napier, 105 being married with dependents.