UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE DOMINION

Bush Advocate, Volume XXI, Issue 288, 9 June 1909, Page 5

UNEMPLOYMENT IN THE DOMINION

• — r- \ - HOW THE GOVERNMENT ARE ASSISTING. [press association.] WELLINGTON, yesterday. The Prime Minister informed a N.Z. Times representative to-night that he had called for a report on the- state of the labor market from 1904 to 1909. This showed that with the exception of the year 1906 the number of men employed by the Public Works Department was greater during the present year than at any other time. The latest information from the bureiu showed that in Auckland for the week ended June sth, 43 married men and 106 single men registered their names with the department; in Wellington there were 130) including 30 married ; in Christchurch. 117 married and 44 single; in , Diinedin 8 injuried and 4 single. ■ ■ A number were assisted to work in each centre. Thie> number of men employed by the Public Works and Roads Departments during April 'last was 8862 as ■ against 5837 for the same month in 1908, the Government jiad. all along done its best to meet the j position by, employing men upon reproductive works. The amount of work now proceeding in roading the backblocks was extensive though within the appropriations "authorised >by Parliament to meet the position. Further, the Government has pushed on the contract for the Auckland post office and proceeded with the foundations of thei Wellington post office; and given help in other ways. . The Government has decided to provide further work in the direction of bushfelling and clearing. There are 30,---000 acres of bush land in the Waimarino block, which can bo cleared at once, thus giving a large amount of employment from June till November. This land, when cleared and burned, would bo ready for settlement. Therefore men fit to do this class of work can bo put on without delay. v ' Sir "Joseph Ward said that one difficulty lay in the desire of a number of unemployed to stay in the towns. Under the State organised system of labor bureaux the Govern-; ment was regularly furnished with information concerning the labor, market. , i. .