A.H.B. AND UNEMPLOYED.

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 87, 13 April 1927, Page 10

A.H.B. AND UNEMPLOYED.

| A MATTER OF FINANCE. : BOARD'S BIG WINTER LIST. EMPLOYS 404 CASUALS. 111 addition to its permanent staff the Auckland Harbour Board is now employing 404 men. This fact was mentioned by the chairman (Mr. n. R. Mackenzie) this morning when replying to a deputation that waited 011 him to ask if the board could do anything further towards alleviating the unemployed problem. Mr. Mackenzie pointed out that the policy of the board had always been to employ more men in winter than in summer, in order to help the unemployed situation, and in accordance with the policy 0110 hundred extra men were put 011 during the past winter. No matter what the board's personal feelings might lie it had to be guided by finance, and in that connection it should always be remembered that the board had 110 rating powers; its income was more or less fixed. He quite realised that there was unemployment in New Zealand, but he pointed out that the trouble was world-wide, and to-day Auckland was feeling the effects of the hard times that had prevailed in the Old Country and other parts of tlie world. If New Zealand could sell its produce at good prices it would have the money to find employment lor all the people now here and also for those arriving. Mr. Mackenzie said there was 110 doubt the problem would have to be taken in hand by the Government and a scheme evolved to settle people 011 the land, 'ihe trouble to-day was that practically all the people were congregating in the towns.

ihe present Harbour Board was out of office this month, and it would be for the new board to say what was to be done for the future. The estimates of expenditure for the year would be adopted at the beginning of the financial year and represented all the money that could be spent by the board Ihe members of the board "were all in sympathy with Labour, and the deputation could rest assured that the board would do its best with the money that was available, and would help to "relieve the unemployment problem all it could Mr. Mackenzie promised that personally lie would do all he could to help.