VISIT OF THREE MINISTERS

Press, Volume LXXVII, Issue 23248, 7 February 1941, Page 8

VISIT OF THREE MINISTERS

RELIEF WORKERS AND COUNTRY JOBS

DISCUSSIONS AT WEEK-END

The situation which has arisen in Christchurch over the unwillingness of workers employed on relief works under Scheme 13 t<s accept work outside the city has caused the Government to decide to send a delegation of three Ministers to meet the workers in Christchurch this week-end. The Ministers who are coming south to meet the workers as a body are the Minister for Labour tfhe Hon. P. C’ Webb), the Minister for Public Works (the Hon. H. T. Armstrong), and this Minister for Supply (the Hon. D. G.' Sullivan). who. as member for Avom, has a local interest in the dispute) between the Government and the relief; workers. Although a statement of Government policy was expected to be given a week; ago, it has not been made, but it is agreed that the instruction given to the eimploying officers of the Labour Department in Christchurch that all men un«er 50 years of age, unless they could show cause, were to be transferred tci other jobs, has Dominionwide application. Notices 'that their employment on relief works Will be terminated have been issued to a■, number of men in Christchurch. Oil Monday of this week, 18 of the 190 ihien offered jobs in the country had \ accepted, and a number have since agreed to leave the city. The view expressed at the last conference betwejen the representatives of the workers and the Government was that'', the Government would no longer tolerate men being employed on unproductive works when their services were needed elsewhere. That view was advanced, according to reports. by the Minister for Finance (the Hon. W. Naish) and endorsed by Mr Armstrong. I The attitude of tihe relief .workers was fully discussed b;y the Cabinet at its meeting this week, and the visit of the Ministers this wbek-end is a consequence of the deliberations.