HOARDINGS IN COUNTRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 238, 7 October 1932, Page 8

HOARDINGS IN COUNTRY.

OIL COMPANIES' INTENTION. QUESTION IN PARLIAMENT. LOSS OF EMPLOYMENT FEARED. (By Telegraph.—Parliamentary Reporter.) WELLINGTON, this day. The recent announcement that the oil companies, intended, at the expiration of existing contracts, to discontinue the use of hoardings for advertising purposes in the countryside," _ led -Mr. P. Fraser (Labour, Wellington Central) to a6k the acting-Minister' of Employment, Mr. Hamilton, whether he would ascertain from the oil companies the number of men who. would lose employment through this decision,, and the yearly amount of wages that would be permanently lost. The Minister said he did not know that ho could agree with the premises on which Mr. Fraser had based the question. He was aware that representations had been made. At this stage Mr. Speaker called Mr. Hamilton to order, saying that the name of the Governor-General could not be mentioned, and he took it that the Minister intended to mention it. Mr. Hamilton explained that he had not so intended. He simply proposed to say that ' representations had been made to the oil companies to dismantle the hoardings in some of the beauty spots of New Zealand. Mr. Fraser: Is it confined to beauty spots? V■ "■ The Minister: I think eo. Mr. Fraser: No, it is confined to the whole Dominion. Mr. Hamilton said the matter was one for the oil companies themselves. Another Labour Member: And not for interfering busy-bodies. Mr. Hamilton said quite a lot of people objected to the hoardings, and their requests had been met by the oil companies. He was inclined to think that the dismantling of the hoardings would involve more labour than would their maintenance in the event of their retention. If the oil companies did not wish to spend money on advertising ou hoard-' ings that was' their business.