PERTURBED!

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 125, 30 May 1938, Page 8

PERTURBED!

LABOUR MINISTER.

SINGLE UNEMPLOYED. " MISLEADING STATEMENT." PROPOSALS FOR WORK. "Tho Government is anxious to do everything possible to help the single men who arc fit to work and are out of a job at tiie present time," said Mr. W. J. Lyon, M.P. for Waitemata, who is the Auckland representative of the Minister of Labour, thR Hon. H. T. Armstrong.

"A wrong impression has been created by the publication of a statement by the Placement Officer, Mr. J. R. Elsbury, that 700 single men are out of employment in Auckland," continued Mr. Lyon. "The Minister was perturbed ,when he read the account aa it appeared that the majority of these men were young and fit and willing to work. Investigation of tho position discloses that that is not the position. The statement was misleading.

"Of the 700 men, ovlf 312 are registered for the receipt of sustenance and k large percentage of them are 'indusiriiil casualties' unfit for a eolid week's work. The remaining 400 are men who have either not applied for sustenance or who have refused work because they would not accept farm employment in the country districts. In accordance with the Government's plans single men who are fit to work and refuse employment offered are debarred from coming on the Employment Promotion Fund. "In effect a large percentage of the 700 men are voluntarily unemployed." Public Works. Mr. Lyon, who returned from Wellington this morning after conferring with >he Minister of Labour, the Hon. 3. T. Armstrong, and the Minister A Public Works, the Hon. R. Semple, mid that on Friday he forwarded a telegram to Mr. J. Edwards, organiser it the Auckland Union of Unemployed, ;o the effect that both Ministers had jollaborated in reference to the position m<l had instructed the engineer of the Public Works Department in Auckland ';o prepare plans to absorb single men •m works within transport access of Auckland. "The Government recognisee that lomething has to be done for the single man who i» willing and able to work," said Mr. Lypn. Officers of the Public Works Department had been instructed to report on the possibility of accelerating the work of the Pokeno-Thames branch railway line with a view to employing additional single men. They would have to go into camp. The Department had also been asked to suggest vork north of Auckland which could be ?ut in hand immediately but accessible l>y rail or bus, in order that the men ?ut on could get home each night. Meeting of Men. At a meeting of unemployed held in Auckland on Saturday, Mr. W. T Anderson, MJ>. for Eden, outlined the etepe 6he Government proposed to take to meet the position. He said it was not the deaire of the Government to disenmmate in the employment of married and eingle men, but the problem of the single men offered difficulties because of conditions in the pact which made it impossible for youths to be apprenticed to tradee. "To-day we are short 'of skilled tradesmen, while on the other hand we Bave unemployed eingle men," he said. "This difficulty in the process of time, through the policy of the Government, will be definitely eliminated, and I personally would like to eee greater cooperation between private employers in industry and the placement office." • At the conclusion of the meeting motions of thanke to Mr. Anderton and uonfidenco in him and in the Government were passed.

The Government's plane for finding work for the men will be discussed "further at a meeting of unemployed thie evening, when Meeers. Anderton and Lyon will attend.