URGENT MEASURES NEEDED

Evening Star, Issue 19274, 12 June 1926, Page 11

URGENT MEASURES NEEDED

WELLINGTON UNEMPLOYMENT PREMIER PROMISES HELP [Pee United „Prksb Association.] WELLINGTON, Jung 11. A deputation from thc_ Wellington Labor Unemployment Belief Committee met Mr Coates to-day to stress the urgeny of the unemployment situation. Mr A. Cook, chairman of the committee, in the course of a statement, said that fitfy or seventy of the men engaged on the Public Works contract at Mangahao were Italians. Mr Coates expressed surprise, and asked where they came from. Mr Cook said they had been drifting into positions for months past. Many New Zealanders had been put off the works during the past week, but none of them were Italians. Ho did not contend that the Italians should be dismissed, but he contended they, should not have the preference,Mr Coates: Certainly not. Mr Cook also said that twelve mem had been put off at Mokau, and tin cm-* ployed were put on in their places. Mr Coates said ho denied that, absolutely. He said the number of men' had actually been increased. “My concern has been to’ keep these men going, and certainly not to sack them and put others on.” Mr Cook said that he might have been misinformed, but he was sure of the facts regarding Mangahao. Mr Coates, in reply, said that, so far as was humanly possible, the _ Government would join with the Labor organisations in endeavoring to overcome the unemployment trouble. His one thought was that all should, get their shoulders to the wheel. Personally, ho believed the trouble wan only temporary. It was hoped that the committee of the various organisations which had been set up, and which was sitting that day, would assist in relieving the situation, and that legislation which he proposed to ask Parliament to pass—and which he had no doubt w r ou!d ho passed—would result in a lot of the present trouble being got rid of in the course of a fortnight at least. “We meet on common ground and in a common cause,” he said, “ and our efforts will be directed towards getting work for the unemployed and giving relief in necessitous cases. If you want additional representation an the committee from the Trades Hall we are willing to give it.” The Prime Minister said he could not agree to the use of public works for absorbing the unemployed. That would bo like going back to old days. All Public Works employees nowadays ware trained men, who gave a good return for the money spent. His concern was to see that they had something to look forward to in the future, and that they went on with the programme that had been laid down by the department. When the department had a good man it wanted to stick to him. Unemployment was seasonal to a great extent. Wherever it could be arranged men would be drafted from the Labor Bureau to relief works. There could not very well bo two registers of unemployed, and be suggested that the Trades Hall authorities, who frequently would havo more information than the Labor Department, should keep in close touch with the department, which he was sure would he only too pleased to receive,, recommendations.