THE HON. J.G. COATES

Evening Star, Issue 17926, 23 March 1922, Page 2

THE HON. J.G. COATES

WAIPOEI EXTENSIONS. | SOLDIERS OUT OF WORK. Tho Hon, 3. G. Coates _ (Minister of Public Works), who was in town last evening, was waited on by tho mayor (Mr J. S, Douglas) and Or Hogg. His Worship said that tho Electric Power and Lighting Committee of tho City Council had decided that afternoon to recommend an expenditure of £26,000 on extensions at Waipori. An expenditure of £B.OOO for a now pipe lino had already been approved by tho council. The mayor com tinned that ho noticed that the Prime Minister had arranged for a certain amount of money to bo provided to meet unemployment during tho coming winter. Ho presumed that they would get their share in Otago. Tho Minister stated that Otago would get its share. Ho asked what works were proposed in the event of unemployment becoming acute. Tho Mayor replied that the council had let a contract for the construction of a dam at Waipori, and there was the Southern Reservoir work, which would keep a number of men employed. The council would also probably proceed with street works. Under the new provisions of the Arbitration Act it was also hoped to proceed with tramway extensions. Dr Harrison and Mr A. C. Lning waited on tho Minister as a deputation from tho Returned Soldiers’ Association. Dr Harrison said that there were ninetytwo unemployed returned soldiers on tho hooks of tho association at tho present lime. Ho asked whether the Minister could give these men any promise of work. They expected tho position to become more acute, and especially so because of the fact that there was n large number of immigrants coming into the Dominion. The majority of the men were out of work simply because uf the shortage of work, and not through any fault of their own. Mr Laing said that a number of men were unemployed through tho general trade depression. The Minister said they could find employment for the men if they liked to go to Roxburgh. They should let Mr Campbell, the district Public Works engineer, know, and he could inform the Labor -Department. The men could keep their own gang together.