EXTRA WORK

Evening Post, Volume CXIV, Issue 103, 28 October 1932, Page 8

EXTRA WORK

FOR THE UNEMPLOYED ;

NOT POSSIBLE AT PRESENT

An indication that if the present un« employment registrations are maintained it will be impossible to continus the existing scale of rations was given by the Acting-Minister of Employment (the Hon. A. Hamilton), in the Housb of Representatives this morning when, replying to a series of urgent.question^ by Mr. A. S. Richards (Labour, -fioskill). • ■: Mr. Richards inquired whether extra; working time per^week would be *,provided from now until Christmas''and the New Year, his suggestion being that at least two extra days per week* .per man should be allocated. Unless soina such arrangement were made many; would be hungry and penniless during the holidays. *• > The Minister said that it waa'aot possible to grant the request. At'present it was impossible to say what-as-sistance could be given at Christina"* time. The question would be considered, later on. "c \ • Mr. Richards also asked the Minister to instruct officers to provide work'itt the towns for men. who were able* to get a day's work a week privately;"and not compel them-to go to camps. -He said that a married man in Auckland was able to obtain half a day's work a week to help his aged father on a farmlet, and because of that the 'local Labour Department refused to give.him any work in town' and insisted upon his going into camp. ° . The Minister said it was the< policy; of the Government to encourage' private enterprise to employ as much." labour as possible, and everything possible was being done in that direction' in order to relieve the pressure on loa Unemployment Fund. That was'evidenced by the No. 10 scheme. The Minister undertook to look into the Auckland case referred to.