TO RELIEVE DISTRESS

Evening Post, Volume LXXXVIII, Issue 42, 18 August 1914, Page 8

TO RELIEVE DISTRESS

BY USEFUL EMPLOYMENT. AN IMPORTANT CONFERENCE.

A conference between the Mayor (Mr. J. P. Luke), the chairman of the Hospital ctad Charitable Aid Board (Rev. W. A. Evans), Mr. Mostyn ,(of the Labour L»epartment), Mr. Grenfell (secretary of the 'Employers' Association), and two representatives of organised labour is to be held at 11 a.m. tomorrow to discuss the best, means of alleviating distress in Wellington, consequent on the war. Wherever possible, the Mayor said this morning, it is deemed desirable that useful employment should be found instead of doling out mere relief. The Labour Department is invited to attend to this phase of the matter, and it is hoped that there will be no diversion of labour from Teally productive work in the country to works of palliative character in the cities. The Labour Department, being in touch with different parts of the Dominion, will place what surplus labour there may be in the most suitable employment. The Mayor is inviting, in addition to the Rev. , W. A. Evans and Mr. Mostyn, Mr. Grenfell, as Representative of the Employers' Asociation, and two representatives of organised labour. As an outcome of the conference, it is hoped that a committee will be set up to look after 'the relief of distress. At present, through the largo amount of employment given in fitting up the troopships and allied work in connection with the expedition, conditions are fairly normal for this time of the year. When that work is over, as it must be shortly, there may be a. certain extent of distress, but with the sea routes opening up the Dominion's export trade in agricultural produce should proceed much as usual and give considerable employment. The City Council itself is not curtailing its expenditure on works, nor are the Jocal bodies. The Mayor hopes that such works as are undertaken by municipalities will give as much employment a* possible by utilising labour rather than purchasing material. The outlook, in the opinion of the Mayor, who is naturally optimistic, is not gloomy, and the country should come satisfactorily through the period of crisis.