WORK WAITING.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 233, 2 October 1929, Page 8

WORK WAITING.

FIFTEEN HUNDRED MEN.

MORE WHEN REQUIRED.

UNEMPLOYED MUST REGISTER

PRIME MINISTEER'S STATEMENT

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, this day.

"No man willing and able to work will have any excuse for stating lie is unable to get it," declared the Prime Minister, Sir Joseph Ward, in the House of Representatives yesterday, when announcing that provision had been made for the immediate employment of 1500 men, as the first instalment of the Government's scheme to provide work for the unemployed.

Sir Joseph said that with the return to Wellington of the Ministers who constituted the Cabinet Committee that was handling details of the organisation for the absorption of the unemployed, he had been able to assure himself that they had finalised their machinery proposals for carrying out the scheme. He was able to announce, therefore, that the Government was going ahead immediately with the execution of the plans it had been preparing to absorb the whole of the unemployed, and applications would be received immediately from men requiring work. iooo Men for State Forests. As a first instalment, 1000 men would lie engaged immediately by the State Forest Service, and, in addition, at least 500 more would be employed on various works to be started by the Public Works Department and on land improvement, irrigation and swamp drainage. Other avenues of employment would also be opened as required. "I desire to make it clear that the Government intends to put an end to the discrepancy which is so often stated to exist between the number of unemployed as disclosed by the Labour Department's register and those stated to be known to trade unions and others to be out of work," said the Prime Minister. "To this end it has been decided that all men genuinely wantinsr work must register themselves with the government labour bureaux, and ; work will be found for them, "With the commencement of various works which are to be started within the next few weeks no man willing and able to Work will have any excuse lor stating that he is unable to get it. In this connection the Government expects that trades unions and other unofficial labour organisations will extend their fullest co-operation in ensuring that men are properly registered. ~ Work for Skilled Men, Too., "An important departure which is a feature of "the present proposals is that, whereas in the past no attempt has been made to provide especially for tradesmen work for which they are most suited and most able to give a full return for the money expended, that is in their own occupations, this is now being done. In other words, the unskilled, and, as far as possible, the skilled Worker, Will be provided f6r, and I am confident that it will bring good results, preventing a skilled worker from getting out of touch with his trade, and from becoming discouraged." The Prime Minister said that to ensure the greatest degree of co-ordination and expedition thp operations are being supervised direct by a committee of Cabinet Ministers, consisting of the Hon. G. W. Forbes, Minister of Lands, chairman j the Hon. W. A. Veitch, Minister of Labour; the Hon, E. A. Ransom, Minister of Public Works, and the Hon. W. B. Taverner, Minister of Railways, .with Mr. W. J, Shanly as secretary. To work under its Ministers, and keep them in touch with the actual progress of work, there will be a selected committee of departmental officers.