FULL SUBSIDY.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 134, 9 June 1938, Page 14

FULL SUBSIDY.

GOVERNMENT OFFER.

LOCAL BODY SCHEMES.

WILLING TO CO-OPERATE.

I "Never in the past hare the local I bodies been offered such encouragement to embark on developmental works as the Government is offering to-day," said the Minister of Mines, Hon. P. C. Webb, acting on behalf of the Minister of Labour, when he addressed representatives of local authorities in the . Auckland metropolitan area in conference at the Town Hall yesterday afternoon. Mr. Webb urged the councils to cooperate in providing work for men who were seasonally unemployed during the winter, and said the Government would pay the full wages of all men placed on suitable schemes. The Government did not wish men to be put off ordinary works, and trusted the local bodies to ( "play the game" in that respect. The opportunity was offered to push on with works which would have to be done as the districts developed and would have definite community value. Beautifying the City. Mr. Webb said there was much scope for the beautifying of the city and the surrounding boroughs. He also mentioned the need of recreation grounds, swimming baths, including a water park for Auckland, tree planting in many places and particularly in the new area's [ of residential settlement. If it was not possible to provide for all the men in the urban districts, those who were unmarried would be given employment in the country. 'T assure you of 100 per cent, co-operation so far as the Government is concerned," he added.

An objection that labour costs were less than 50 per cent, of the expenditure involved in carrying out special works was raised by Mr. J. Guiniven, Mayor of Takapuna, who said materials, supervision and the various other items of cost falling on the local bodies were a heavy burden. He declared that the Government should go further than the offer made to the conference.

"If materials and the other items were provided by the Government it would not leave the works to the local bodies, but would carry them out through the Public Works Department, - ' replied Mr. Webb. "It is not only a matter of helping the Government to find work for men who need it, but of doing work which the ratepayers will have to do in the future if it is not undertaken now. Work will be provided, if not in Auckland, then elsewhere, but I think we shall have the co-operation of the majority of the local bodies. In all cases where materials are provided the works chosen will have tc be of national importance. We are doing a great deal in that direction to-day, and if necessary we can do more."

Tbe financial difficulty of borough councils was also mentioned by Mr. H. W. F. Meikle. Mayor of Devonport, who ( said that after a series of years in which s «pecial works had been provided. overdrafts had begun to mount up. He suggested that the towns and boroughs should have greater assistance from the tyre tax and the petrol tax. of which 92 per cent was now paid to the | counties. Devonport had expended I £17,000 last year in its effort to give Iwork for ell men in the district who required it, and the financial problem was a difficult one. Mr; A. . C. A. Sexton, M.P. for Franklin, in referring to the position of the county councils, said it was often more costly to establish camps in the country and take men on under the Government subsidy than to do the same work by machinery. He thought it would be difficult for tEe counties to . take any considerable advantage of th? scheme. Offers by Local Bodies. Offers to place a total_of 340 unemployed men were made by various local bodies represented. The Mayor of Auckland, Sir Ernest Davis, who preside** stated that the City Council and Drainage Board would take on 150 labourers, 12 painters and one clerk. i Details of the offers made were:—Auckland City Council, 133; Auckland Drainage Board, 30; Birkenhead Borough Council, 26; Devonport Borough Council, 30; One Tree Hill, 10; Newmarket Borough Council, 30; Mount Eden Borough Council. 25; Ellerslie Town Board, 10; Xorthcote Borough Council, 25; H >wick Town Board, 10; Henderson Town Board, 8; Metropolitan Executive, Centennial Council, 3. A request to be supplied with plant which the Public Works Department had discarded was made by Mr. C. M. McCullough, chairman of the Mount Roskill Road Board, and the Minister promised that this would be considered. The clerks of the Manukau and Waitemata County Councils stated that transport and supervision were major problems in the counties and that the location and nature of the works largely determined whether they could be undertaken. Most of the schemes in convenient positions had been completed. At the conclusion of the conference the Minister remarked that it was desired to eliminate "red tape" and to ' put the schemes in operation inimedi- ' ately to give the maximum of assistance ' during the winter months.