WORK FOR SINGLE UNEMPLOYED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22419, 4 June 1938, Page 16

WORK FOR SINGLE UNEMPLOYED

♦ Country Jobs Available For Three Thousand OBLIGATION TO LIVE IN CAMP (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.' AUCKLAND, June 3. An announcement ~ that country work is to be provided immediately for 3000 single men throughout the Dominion, including 400 in Auckland, was made by, the Minister'for Labour (the Hon. ri. T. Armstrong) on his arrival from Wellington. Additional work is also to be found for married men as near as possible to their places of abode. This is to meet the need of a number of men who have registered as unemployed on the cessation of seasonal work in various occupations. The single men for Whom work is to be provided will be required to give an undertaking that if farm labour is required within the period of their employment, and such work under approved conditions is offered to them, they will accept it. Apart from the efforts of the placement officers, said the Minister, little had been done of late for single unemployed men, but they had received sustenance when work was not available. The rotational scheme for giving four months’ employment in the year had been used almost exclusively for the benefit of married .men, for whom it was intended. Farm Work Refused Not long ago 200 single men had been struck off the register for refusing farm work in the Auckland Province, and a further 200 had voluntarily gone off the register rather than do likewise. As the off season for farm labour had now arrived, the single men who had formerly refused it were being permitted to re-register, and a number had done so. To provide for them over the winter, work Would be made available for 3000 in State undertakings, including forestry and public works, on condition that they undertook in advance to accept approved farm employment when it was offered to them next season. “We do not want men idle in or out of season,” remarked Mr Armstrong, “and when men are urgently required in a key industry such as farming the Government would not be justified in keeping them on public works.” He added that the men would have to be prepared to live in camp. They would be transported to their jobs. Speaking of the proposals for married men, the Minister said that a list of contemplated works had been drawn up after a conference between several Ministers and the heads of departments. In all cases where work was provided near the homes of married men these men would be given preference over single men for such work. ABSORBING SEASONAL WORKERS EMPLOYMENT FOUND lIN THE WAIKATO HAMILTON, June 3. That he was co-operating with the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T, Armstrong) and the Minister for Public Works (the Hon R. Semple) in an effort to arrange Work for seasonal workers now unemployed was mentioned by the Hon. P, C. Webb, Minister for Mines. Mr Webb attended a conference with engineers of the Public Works Department and local counties to ascertain if there was any suitable work to be put in hand. It was the Government’s desire, he said, that all men able to work should be provided with suitable labour. As a result of the conference work would be made available for every able-bodied man, he said. The class of work was to be approved by the en-, gineers concerned. It was hoped to provide labour for other works. “The unemployment position throughout New Zealand is such that a number of seasonal workers have no employment, and our desire is to provide them with It, The position is much better than in other years, but we are not satisfied with only an improvement.” Mr Armstrong was investigating the position in Auckland, and when he had finished it was expected that there would be no unemployment in that district. In the Bay of Plenty and Hawke’s Bay areas the matter hpd been attehded to most effectively.