WORK FOUND FOR UNEMPLOYED

Press, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22431, 18 June 1938, Page 10

WORK FOUND FOR UNEMPLOYED

MR ARMSTRONG’S CLAIMS REPLY TO HON. A. HAMILTON (P»BS3 ASSOCIATION TELEGEAM.) FEILDING, June 17. , Speaking at Feilding last evening the Minister for Labour (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong) criticised statements of the Leader of the Opposition (the Hon. Adam Hamilton) about the unemployment figures when Labour took office, and also alleged that the newspapers did not publish the true figures given by him. “There are 41,000 more employed in shops and factories alone,” said Mr Armstrong. “Does not that knock Mr Hamilton’s statement sky high, that only 35,000 were unemployed in November, 1935? ' “What about the farms also? Are they not employing more labour than when we took office, to say nothing of hotels and restaurants? I put the number since employed in shops, factories, and private enterprise at least at another 20,000, making 61,000. The State has employed 18,000 more since Labour came into office, including public works.

“Therefore my official nturns show that employment has been found for 79,000 who were unemployed when Labour . took office,” he added. “I am not exaggerating when I say there were 100,000 unemployed, not 35,000, as Mr Hamilton said, when we took office.”