A MINISTER'S HOPEFUL OUTLOOK.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXIX, Issue 7828, 22 June 1909, Page 2

A MINISTER'S HOPEFUL OUTLOOK.

' The Hon. George Fowlds, Minister of Education and Immigration, and (during the absence of Sir Joseph Ward) Acting-Minister of Customs and of Defence, accompanied by his private secretary (Mr AY. Crow), passed through Ashburton by this morning's southern express. -" Mr Fowlds will take part in the opening of Knox (Presbyterian) Residential College at Dunedih to-morrow, and, after transacting departmental business there, will" return with Friday's first express. In the bourse of a few minutes' chat with a Guardian representative, the Minister said that the' Government was making arrangements to overcome, as far as was possible, the unemployed difficulty. Within the next few days they would be in a position to employ a good many men at bush-felling work. The Government expected to be able to draft from railway and Toad work men who were specially fitted for bushfelling, and have room made in this way on the construction works for those who were not fitted for bush work. Then, again,. a:4y other Government work that could be suitably and profitably put in motion "was being gone on with as fast as possible, and generally the Cabinet was doing everything possible to alleviate the distress. "I think," said Mr Fowlds in conclusion, "that the scarcity of employment will pass, away within the next few months, and that with the advent of the, spring there will be opportunities for work for most of those now. out of employment."