UNEMPLOYED RELIEF

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 51, 24 November 1930, Page 6

UNEMPLOYED RELIEF

Plan for Hutt Valley REFERENCE TO BOARD Recently a conference of the Mayors of Lower Hutt, Petone, Eastbourne, and the chairman of the Hutt County Council was called by Mr. Walter Nash, M.P., to consider some effective means of dealing with the unemployment question in the Hutt Valley, Oho of the suggestions he put forward was tha c an officer of the Labour Department, and also of the Hbspital Board, should be appointed to the Hutt district to keep in direct touch With the local bodies. Mr. Nash has now received a reply from the Minister of Labour (Hon. S. G. Smith) concerning that part of’ his proposal relating to the Labour Department. “With regard to your proposal that an officer of the Labour Department be appointed to the Hutt district to perform the duties you outline,” writes the Minister, “I have given very careful consideration to this matter, but regret that at the present time I cannot see my way clear to adopt the same. “As you are no doubt aware the Unemployment Act contains a provision for the ■ appointment of local committees' to assist the Unemployment Board and its administration. In view of the fact that the personnel of the board has now been decided upon I am of opinion that your suggestion should be held .over for consideration of the board, which will be holding its first meeting on Tuesday next In the meantime may I suggest that efforts be made to secure the voluntary services of some person to temporarily carry out the duties which you desite ,an official of the Labour Department to fulfill. "Similar arrangements' have been made with remarkably good results in other parts of the Dominion, and I feel sure that, little difficulty should be experienced in obtaining in a district,like the Hutt Valley one or more public-spirited gentlemen who have the leisure time, as Well as the ability, to carry out, without remuneration, the duties desired.”