NATIONAL WORK

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 55, Issue 286, 16 September 1935, Page 6

NATIONAL WORK

PAY AT STANDARD RATES: IMPORTANT STEP PENDING. STATEMENT BY A MINISTER. (Per Press Association). WELLINGTON, Sept. 14. With the specific object of providing work for as many unemployed as possible at standard rates on public works of permanent value, an inter-depart-mental committee working under the chairmanship of Professor Belshaw, has been functioning for the last two weeks.

In an interview to-day, Mr Coates indicated that though details had not been completed, it was gathered that the move will develop into one of the most important steps yef taken by the Government in implementing the unemployment relief policy, and it was expected that it would have almost immediate results as a positive short plan to be communicated to the Government. There were ample reasons, Mr Coates said, at the Government’s disposal to enable this to be done. The most important work of the committee, however, had been to advise regarding a long range policy of national works financed, jointly from loan moneys and the unemployment fund. This was substantially in line with the proposal of the National Expenditure Commission which recommended that before any public works were undertaken in future and before any assistance is given by the State to public works to be carried out by local authorities, the proposal should first be the subject of an expert examination by an independent board of works akin to the Local Government Loans Board.