CO-OPERATION SOUGHT

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22318, 4 February 1938, Page 9

CO-OPERATION SOUGHT

MINISTER MEETS LOCAL BODIES WINTER WORK THE OBJECT "An idle man is a loss to the whole community, and I am simply asking for your co-operation with the object ol placing in work every man physically able to do it," said the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) at a meeting of local body representatives held yesterday in the Timaru Borough Council Chambers to discuss proposed works to relieve unemployment during the winter period. The Mayor of Timaru (Mr P. <~. Vinnell) presided. , Several proposals were put forward by Cr. W. H. Hall, for the Timaru Borough Council, who said that that body had spent £46,000 during the last few years to ease the position, and in the circumstances found it aimcult to do much more in this direction. He suggested that the Government might assist the municipality to add to its gangs of men already employed so that more energy could be devoted to the kerbing and channelling programme. Other proposals suggested were the engagement of painters to enable houses to be numbered, assistance so that the proposed amphitheatre at Caroline Bay could be proceeded with, and adding to the borough engineer's staff to enable work to be done in providing better outlets for stormwater and finishing work at the Timaru airport. Cr. Hall also referred to work that might be done by levelling land between the airport and the railway line, and the improvement of Aliens property adjoining Ashbury Park The need for an afforestation scheme in the Pareora river country was emphasised by Cr. H. J. Mathers. Mr R. W. Munro said that the Levels County Council was sympathetic towards the idea of providing such work. The council would give consideration to the question, and would have a list of suitable works prepared by its engineer. The Washdyke Lagoon

Mr Clyde Carr, M.P.: "The lowering of the Washdyke lagoon is a work awaiting the co-operation of the county. It has been held up for about six years." . The assistance of the Government to enable men to be kept at work on the Washdyke racecourse, the boutn Canterbury Caledonian grounds, the Smithfield Show Grounds, and the Timaru High Schools Board's reserves at Clandeboye and Milford, was put forward by Mr H. H. Fraser, who also drew the Minister's attention to the advisability of assisting the board to proceed with the improvement 01 drainage in the schools' grounds. After other works had been proposed the Minister said that he would like plans to be submitted by the local bodies concerned, so as to have worK ready for men engaged in seasonal work before the winter arrived. He thought a request for assistance to provide transport for men engaged on works some distance from their houses was a reasonable one, and this would be given consideration. He commended the scheme to build an amphitheatre at Caroline Bay. Some of the other proposals appealed to him but there were others which he would consider after receiving reports on them from his officers. "Let us see your plans as soon as they are ready and wjs will assist you to the extent of every shilling available if they are suitable," said the Minister in conclusion. PRESENTATION TO FOOTBALLER MR J. T. STRANG HONOURED The popularity of Mr J. T. Strang, well-known Old Boys, South Canterbury, and South Island Rugby player who will leave the Dominion by the Remuera on February 17 to join th« Royal Air Force, was shown by the large gathering of sportsmen, who met him in the Caroline Bay tearooms on Wednesday to bid him bood-bye. Mr S. D. Mason, who presided over an attendance of about 200, announced that, although the function was sponsored by the Old Boys' <nub, it was representative of the sporting community of South Canterbury. Tributes to Mr Strang's sportsmanship were paid by Messrs J. H. Harley (South Canterbury Rugby Union), A. C. Rippin (Old Boys' Club), H. D. Oddie (High School Old Boys' Association), and numerous others, the chairman subsequently presenting Mr Strang with a well-filled wallet. In his response, Mr Strang intimated that he expected to return to Timaru in about five years.

MINISTER ENTERTAINED BY LABOUR PARTY

The Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) arrived in Timaru from the south on Wednesday and was entertained in the evening by the Timaru branch of the New Zealand Labour Party. Yesterday morning he met representatives of local bodies in the Timaru Borough Council Chambers, when unemployment questions were discussed. PERSONAL NOTES TIMARU Mr A. F. O. Clarke, second clerk of the Timaru Magistrate's Court, has been advised of his transfer On promotion to the clerkship of the Magistrate's Court at Stratford. Mr Clarke's successor at Timaru will be Mr P. W. J: Cockerill, clerk .of the Court at Queenstown. WAIMATE The Hon. T. "Armstrong (Minister for Labour) and Mr J. S. Hunter (Secretary of Labour) visited Waimate on Wednesday, and after hearing deputations from the Waimate Borough and County Councils, left for Timaru in the evening. The Minister for Lands (the Hon. F. Langstone) will visit South Canterbury next week to meet Crown tenants and discuss with them uneconomic areas. He will arrive at Waimate on Monday afternoon. Mrs E. C. Studholme ("Te Wairrtate") is spending a few days with her mother, Mrs C. A. Wells (Christchurch). REPRESENTATIVE OF "THE PRESS" AT WAIMATE Mr B. L. Hewitt, of the Christchurch staff of "The Press," has arrived in Waimate to replace Mr G. A. Nutt, who has been a patient in the Waimate Hospital for the last week. Mr Hewitt will be available at 'phone Nos. 70 and 275.