RELIEF WORK JOBS

Dominion, Volume 26, Issue 112, 4 February 1933, Page 8

RELIEF WORK JOBS

Search for Economic Use of Labour CONFERENCE SUGGESTED Proposals for a conference of all the surrounding local bodies with a view to concerted action in ascertaining wbat unemployment relief works could be carried out in the district with the greatest .advantage and economy were received from the Wellington City Council by the Upper Hutt Borough Council last evening. In his letter the Wellington town clerk stated that the idea was that when such a list had been compiled and the capabilities as to finance had been investigated the local bodies as a whole should approach the Government to obtain more assistance than was at present available under No. 5 scheme. The Wellington City Council was obtaining a list of works in its own area which were essential or which would show a saving on operating costs, and it was suggested that each local body should do the same before attending the conference. The Upper Hutt Borough Council instructed the works committee to compile a schedule of possible works.. ALLOCATION OF MONEY Minister’s Statement Challenged “One can’t help-wondering how long the country will stand being fooled in this way,” wrote the mayor of Picton, Mr. J. Jones, in a letter to the Upper Hutt Borough Council on the subject of unemployment allocation. Mr. Jones went on to criticise the Minister of Employment’s reply to the Upper Hutt Borough Council’s protest against cuts in the allocation in which be stated, inter alia, that Upper Hutt was - in receipt of its proportional quota of the funds available, and it was not possible to provide fuller allocations. . . Mr. Jones considered that the statement was untrue, for if the . funds available were properly administered the Unemployment Board would not have had the sum of £BOOO to invest as a third mortgage in a Napier hotel. “I remember an old sage saying which stated that ‘God gave, the food, but the devil the cooks,’ and that can justly be applied to the administration of this country’s affairs,” concluded Mr. Jones.