UNEMPLOYMENT.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 17225, 16 August 1921, Page 6

UNEMPLOYMENT.

——-»—- GOVERNMENT CANNOT GIVE . MORE RELIEF. (PBESS ASSOCIATION TBLEGBAM.) WELLINGTON, August 15. The Acting-Prime Minister (the Hon. Sir Francis Bell) has made it clear that the Government cannot do more than it h doing to relieve unemployment in the Dominion. In the course of a telegram to a local body which had applied for assistance, Sir Frrfncis Bell said that the Go. eminent is already employing as many men as funds will permit, and has strained its finances to the utmost. Local authorities must moot the position by using local funds to find work for local unemployed. POSITION IN DUNEDIN. (special to "the press.") DUNEDIN, August 15. The Dunedin office of the Repatriation Department has 62 names of applicants for work on the books to-day (22 with dependants), as against 80 this day week. The Labour Department reports a reduction in the number of applicants. " The Mayor proposes to hare a work started here that will give relief to many of the unemployed, whose numbers lceep on increasing. Business is quiet in the iron trade. The establishments that rely chiefly on trad© with the farmers are especially slack. Some are working short time, cutting off an hour a day, or doing without work on Saturdays, or adopting some other plan for ekeing out the scanty orders.' The position is that the farmers, owing to the low price of wcol, are economising in respect to plant, making shift with their rid implements. In general work, the foundries are ju'&t managing' to keep going. Hands are not being put off, but business is. slack, and there is no opening for men who are seeking work. In his statement to the City Council last night, the Mayor.said ho. had received a letter from the Unemployment Committee, appealing to the Council to do all in its power to provide work for as many men as possible, and as the need was insistent and pressing, it was hoped that work might -J& provided immediately. On the motion of the Rev. J. J. North, the following resolution was passed at last night's meeting of the Council of Christian Congregations:— "That, in view -of the unemployment crisis in the City, the Council remits to its oxecntiye the question of the wisdom of racing, through the churches and the public, a fund to be used '" prosecution of some publio works and the relief of unemployment." I '. ' '