UNEMPLOYMENT.

Auckland Star, Volume LVII, Issue 143, 18 June 1926, Page 10

UNEMPLOYMENT.

THE RIGHT TO WORK.

PREMIER QUESTIONED. ACUTE DISTRESS PREVALENT. (By Telegraph—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, Thursday. "Is the Government prepared to introduce a Right to Work Bill," was one of the first questions put when the Hou?e of Representatives reached the business stage to-day. Mr. P. Fra=er (Wellington East), who put this to the Premier, suggested it should apply to employment at award rates, or if no emplo\ ment was available on these conditions that an allowance sufficient for the maintenance of unemployed workers and their dependents be paid | by the Stale. Mr. D. Ct. Sullivan 'Avon! su-iszested that it was undesirable that immigrants be informed by the Hip-h Commissioner that there was plenty of work in New Zealand. He instanced a case where an immigraT>t, havincr 'ePti told this, arrived in Christchunh last December, paying the fare of Irs wife and himself, and landed with £4.">. all of which had been spent, and be had no employment. Mr. H. E. Hollan,l 'Leader of the Opposition) asked if the Premier would indicate the ston<= that were being taken to relieve unemployment in the four main centres, as well as in smaller places such as Palmerston North, Gis- | borne and Napier; also, if award rates ' were being observed in connect'on with j work that had been provided. Mr. Holland wanted to know if the Premier was aware of the acute distress prevalent among some families owing to unemployment, and that some were without the bare necessities of life. Despite the promises of the Premier, work had been provided for only a small proportion of cases. Relief Scheme Outlined. Mr. Coates. replying, thanked Mr. Holland for -rlvintj intimation of his question earlier in the day. and went on to explain that a conference had been called at wh'ch the Minister of Labour, himself (Mr. Coates). and the heads of all Departments employing men wojild be present. It was arreed that+all Departments, -partictilarlv Labour, Public Works. Railways. and Fores+rv should co-ooerate and co-ordinate the ; r efforts in finding emnloyment. Tt had been made clear that it was the Government's desire that the State should co-ooerate with local bodies with the object of finding emnlovmcnt for as many men as possible. With regard to payment, so far as Government works was concerned, the rate pard was 14/ a day to married men and 10/ to single men. A good deal of the work w-as being carried out on the co-operative system, but a week or a fortnight was allowed men unaccustomed to that system in order to let them settle down." The Eorestrv and Railway Departments were providing work for men incapable ■of heavy work. - What Has Been Done. Tlie Railway Department had found work for 450 men, 61 employed in Middleton station yard. 4S in Addington yard, and 200 at Auckland. A contract for the Otahuhu workshops had heen let, and work was being speeded up in order to provide employment for 50 men within a day or two. Up till Tuesday last 500 men had heen placed by the Public Works Department. The position was that the Government had found work for about 700 men recently, in addition to 50 employed by the Forestry service. Mr. W. E. Parry (Auckland Central): You'vje got about 1200 men in Auckland out of work.

Mr. Coates: I am not going to contradict the hon. member on that point, but I would remind him that the Auckland City Council and adjacent local bodies are making arrangements for relief work. Already arrangements have been made for the transfer of £100,000 to the Main Highways Board, to allow »them to assist. in the session ] 3_#Bn. members would lie asked to agree j to that. ! Tlie Leader of the Opposition asked j about destitution. Did the Premier i know there was absolute lack of food and clothing. Mr. Coates said the Government hail asked the Departments. Labour in particular, and the hospital boards' social welfare committees to provide estimates as to likely expenditure in relief in cases. There were extraordinary demands on charitable aid boards, and where there •were cases of genuine distress the Government would act in a liberal manner. Finding the Money. Replying to a question by Mr. Sullivan (Avon) with reference to the steps the Government are taking to facilitate" public bodies raising money promptly for urgent, works with a view to providing employment, Mr. Coates said the Government would not give any under- / taking that they would find the necessary money for such schemes. .Ordinary financial assistance would be, as before, and, the Public Trustee and the heads of 6ther Departments were ready to meet all reasonable demands. But they could only assist in the initiate of schemes, and cbuld not provide the .-whole amount It was proposed to introduce legislation amending loan procedure in the.=m cases, and, if possible, Miis would be done in the first Imprest Bill. .