ABSORBING LABOUR

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 266, 6 August 1937, Page 6

ABSORBING LABOUR

Conference at Wanganui On Unemployment MINISTER ATTENDS Dominion Special Service. Wanganui, August 5. The Government’s scheme for absorbing unemployed labour for a period of four months was fully outlined by the Acting-Minister of Labour, Hon. P. C. Webb, in Wanganui to-day, when lie attended a largely-attended conference of local authorities and other organisations. The Minister, who was accompanied by .Mr. W. Bromley, of the Labour Department's employment brand', was on his first official visit to the city, and the conference was called to ascertain wlmt useful avenues of employment could be found in Wanganui under the Government subsidy scheme. The .Minister was welcomed by the -Mayor, Mr. W. J. Rogers, Mr. J. B. Cotterill, M.P., ami other speakers. Following a discussion on various aspects of (lie question, the Wanganui City Council decided to bold a special meeting next week to determine its course of action. Other local authorities will consider the matter also, and will later submit their proposals to the Government. The Minister saiil at the outset that there was a surplus in the unemployment. fund, which would enable 7000 men to be fully occupied for,a period of four months. It was the Government's intention, with He co-operation of local bodies, to place these men on useful and productive work. The money available would not solve the problem of unemployment, but it would he a helpful contribution in that direction. Wanganui had 633 men registered as unemployed, and in accordance with the scheme the Government proposed placing an additional 166 men on full-time work for the period stated. A weekly wage of £4 would be paid by the State, and local bodies for whom the work would be carried out. must subsidise to the extent of 5/- a week for each man, thus bringing the wages up to award level. The scheme would mean an additional £2324 being distributed in Wanganui during that period. The position of the ’Wanganui City Council was outlined by the mayor, who informed the Minister that nt present, approximately 200 unemployed men were engaged by the council on various works, including the Wanganui East Showgrounds, airport construction, Aramoho Park levelling, and improvements to Gonville Domain. The council also had in mind the question of raising a loan for footpath improvements, a riverbank protection scheme, and other projects which could be undertaken with Government assistance.