LOAN FOR RELIEF.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 27, 2 February 1932, Page 5

LOAN FOR RELIEF.

WELLINGTON SUGGESTION. DISCUSSED BY CITY COUNCIL. DEFINITE ACTION LIKELY. (By Telegraph.—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. In the course of proposals laid before the Wellington City Council last evening the Mayor, Mr. T. C. A. Hislop, suggested that the unemployed relief works should be spread over two years, involving a loan of £50,000. I He said that if, during the coming year, the council could raise a loan of £25,000, it would be able to give employment to 1700 men and get work done which would be a reasonable benefit to the city at far less cost than by the ordinary methods. It was not necessary legally to consult the ratepayers, but he thought this should be done. Mr. W. Appleton was opposed to the raising of a loan. He said it was time to call a halt in unemployed expenditure. Mr. R. Semple said he was satisfied that the Mayor's scheme would stand investigation. It was necessary to tackle the unemployment problem on a big scale, and go to the ratepayers. Other councillors also supported the proposal. Mr. T. Forsyth contended that the problem would never be solved by local I bodies. It was a national one. It wus not a fair thing that Wellington should bo asked to carry the people who had come there from all parts of both islands. Ho did not think that the council should be asked to do much more, as it had already done a good deal moro than any other city council in New Zealand. The Mayor reminded the council that his proposal was based on the assumption that nearly half the unemployed would be drafted away from the cities under Government schemes. No definite proposal was. made regarding a loan, but it was generally understood that the discussion would be followed by concrete action.