WORK FOR THE WORKLESS.

Auckland Star, Volume LIII, Issue 97, 26 April 1922, Page 9

WORK FOR THE WORKLESS.

LOCAL BODIES' EFFORTS,

SO STATE SUBSIDY.

(B.v Telegraph.-Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Tuesday. At a meeting of the City Council "last night a letter was read from the 'Prime w s u er in leply to an in i uir y as to whether the Government would subsidise money expended by the council in providing work for unemployed. Mr. Maseey stated that the matter had been con Sl dered by the Cabinet, and it was regretted that such expenditure by local bodies could not be subsidised. In order to meet the position in regard to unemployment the Government was setting up relief works in various parts of the Dominion in connection with the Public Works Department. At the same time the Government expected local bodies also to do their share in the of relieving unemployment in "their respective districts.

Mr. D. G. Sullivan, M.P.. eaid the council might have received a more sympathetic reply from the Government, which was not making any eerious attempt to deal with unemployment. It was not right that returned soldiers should have to go from house to house collecting bottles or selling wrrtingtablets. He moved that a reply be sent expressing dissatisfaction with the contents of Mr. Massey's '.etter,. and he hoped the Government would either subsidise local bodies or take more effective steps to absorb unemployment. Mr. Herbert thought the council should do something itself, and not lean on the Government.

Mr. Martin said a regrettable feature of the position was the callousness with which large business men were discharging their employees. The people did not realise the extent of unemployment in the city. Mr. Sullivan's motion, with the addition of a clause asking the Government to state what relief works were started in the vicinity of Christchurch or in the South Island, was carried. IXCREASIXG IX WELLTXGTOX. (By Telegraph.—Press Assoclat'oiO "WELLINGTON, Tuesday. At a meeting of the Progress League the question of unemployment in the city was discussed. Dr. A. K. Newman. M.P., advocated the reorganisation of the system under which work was offered through the labour employment bureau. Winter was coming on, and unless something practical was done to alleviate the burden of the unemployed things would soon become even more serious. Various works were suggested by members as important enough to he put in hand at once. It was stated that unemployment was increasing, ahd there should be only one employment registration centre in the city. The unemployed were no longer railing at the labour bureau because there were no jobs offering.

It was decided to approach the Prime Vini-.ter and endeavour to arrive at a -'■iution of the difficulty.