FOUR THOUSAND MEN.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 173, 24 July 1930, Page 8

FOUR THOUSAND MEN.

EMPLOYED ON RELIEF JOBS.

GOVERNMENT'S ACHIEVEMENT

STATEMENT BY MINISTER

(By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.)

WELLINGTON, Wednesday.

A brief statement dealing with the Government's efforts to deal with immediate cases of distress arising out of unemployment was made to the House to-day by the Hon. E. A. Ransom, chairman of the Cabinet Unemployment Committee, in reply to a question by Mr. J. S. Fletcher (Grey Lynn).

"The committee has the question well in hand," said the Minister, a statement which was greeted with derisive Reform laughter. "It is no laughing matter," retorted the Minister. "I repeat we have the matter well in hand." Mr. Fletcher: Well out of hand!

The Minister said that arrangements were being made in all the principal centres to place men in employment. It had not been possible to offer work to all who were seeking it, but the most urgent cases were being dealt with, and dealt with in a very generous spirit indeed.

'"Provision is being made," the Minister added, "to place men on land development work, and in some eases men are now being drafted to that class of work. Arrangements are being made for additional drafts later 011. The work, of course, requires careful investigations and surveys before the men can be placed."

The Hon. W. D. Stewart (Dunedin West): How many men are there on the relief works' pay roll.

The Minister: About 4000, I think. There arc more men employed in relief works now than for many years past.