USEFUL WORK.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 134, 9 June 1938, Page 18

USEFUL WORK.

THOUSANDS OF JOBS.

89,000 MORE EMPLOYED.

THE GOVERNMENT'S RECORD.

-Telegraph—Special to "Star.") •U S#

4. jyi, TE AROHA, this day. • mhe Son. H. T. Armstrong, Minister ofvLabour, addressed a largely attended pliblic meeting in the Majestic Theatre last evening, the Mayor, Mr. R. Coulter, M.P., presiding. The address was mainly oiu the lines of his addresses delivered at Otahuhu and Waihi. The speaker said he had been accused of rigging the unemployment figures, and gave full particulars of the thousands previously unemployed who were now engaged on useful productive work. Speaking on the Government legislation, the Hon. A. Hamilton had publicly j (stated if his party was elected they would not repeal any of it. "Why, therefore, should there be a change," said the speaker, "and the people of this country would be well advised to leave us alone." The Government had been asked why it did not reduce the unemployment tax. If they did so it would be "a political stunt on the eve of the election which they would not use, although the other people did so. There were now 89,000 more employed than when the Government took office. Mr. Hamilton had said that if returned they would take the 8d in the £ tax off women, but Mr. Armstrong remarked that he might also take 8/ in the £ off the wages. The guaranteed price was economically sound. Farmers incomes, £2 a week in 1934, had now increased to £5 15/, or increased 280 per cent. A vote of thanks to the speaker, and renewed confidence in the Government, and appreciation of its humanitarian legislation, was carried unanimously.