SWELLING THE RANKS

Evening Post, Volume CVII, Issue 73, 30 March 1929, Page 8

SWELLING THE RANKS

AUCKLAND UNEMPLOYED

P. AND T. DISMISSALS

(By Telegraph.—Press Association.)

AUCKLAND, This Day

Pointing out that there were one thousand men registered as unemployed and that to' add to their number would be disastrous in view of the approaching winter, Mr. M. J. Savage, M.P., comunicated with the Postmaster-Gen-eral with reference to the dismissal of ft number of telegraph linesmen.

The H(iu. J. B. Donald replied, "I fully realise the seriousness of the unemployment situation. I would be the last to bring undue hardship to any of the men of the P. and T. Department. However, you will fully realise, when I here is no work available, it would not bo right for my Department to keep the men on tlie pay roll."

The Minister admitted that this procedure had been followed in the past, but. it led to all kinds of'complications and wos a very unwise procedure. Ho assured Mr. Savage that the services of no employees were being dispensed with when there was any work available which they could do.

Ho felt sure that the steps the Government were taking to overcome unemployment, would greatly assist. In the meantime he could only hope that the men who lost their positions with the P. and T. Department would find employment under a scheme being instituted by the Government.