RELIEF BATES

Evening Post, Volume c, Issue 54, 5 March 1934, Page 6

RELIEF BATES

MINISTER'S OPINION

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) NAPIER, March 4. The desire for men on relief work to recive 12s 6d a day instead of 10s, which is being paid on tho river control job in progress in the Napier district, was expressed to the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. J. Bitcheuer), when he was mcl by a deputation consisting of Mr. W. E. Barnard, M.P., and, Mr. C. O. Morse, Mayor "of Napier, on Saturday night. The Minister, in reply said that while he agreed that possibly they would get better value at 125.6 d than at 10s, from the Government viewpoint it opened a wide question. "I would like to see- such an increase, but I don't think for one moment that the Government will agree to reopen the question," he said. "Though I realise the position' in this country is improv-' ing to the extent that some of its primary products are bringing better prices," said Mr. Bitchener, "tho Government still holds that the country is not recovered sufficiently to restore what are termed the cuts, though it would be only too pleased to do so if it could see its way clear. However, I shall take up the matter with the Prime Minister, but I am' not.sanguine as to the result."