WORKLESS PROBLEM

Gisborne Times, Volume LXVII, Issue 10509, 13 February 1928, Page 5

WORKLESS PROBLEM

DEPUTATION TO MINISTERS,

PREMIER’S DENIAL

NOT WORST PERIOD IN HISTORY OF N.Z.

DAN.GERQU S TO RAISE ’. LOAN FOR UNEMPLOYMENT.

(Press • Association.) '*■ WELLINGTON, Feb. H

A large deputation representing Labor organisations throughout the Dominion waited on Messrs Coates, McLeod and Williams to-day; to urge that the Government should take some action to cope with file present unemployment position. The Leader of the Labor Opposition, Mr Holland, said the unemployed problem was greater to-day than ever before and'they were, all very concerned about it, especially in view of the fact that men were unemployed during the summer. He suggested that the Government should immediately put m hajid works already provided for in the Estimates. The secretary' of the Alliance of Labor, Mr Roberts, urged that the Government should deal with the unemployment problem in a permanent • way. He went on to urge an Unemployed Insurance Act. Mr Cook, of Christchurch, said men were being advised to get out into the country, but liis experience was that men were coming into the city because there was not work in the country. Mr Bloodworth drew attention to the serious position in Auckland. Replying, Mr Coates denied that the present was tlie worst period in the history of New Zealand in regard to unemployment. He knew there was unemployment. The Government had to provide lor winter work as well as summer. If everything was put in hand at once they woidd have nothing left for the winter. The Public Works Department was employing something like 8000 men at the present time. Works had been pushed ahead to relieve the' position. Mr Coates went on to deal with the financial aspect, pointing out that it would be clangorous’ to borrow to meet unemployment. Chickens had a habit of coming home to roost, lie appealed to the unions to urge on unemployed the desirability of registering with the Labor Department. The Government was just .as anxious to help the unemployed as was anybody else. - positionln!Tuck land. WEEK’S APPLICATIONS TOTAL 8)23. (lEcsa Association.) AUCKLAND, Feb. 11. In response to the Premier’s request for the registration of unemployed, the Labor Department Bureau in Auckland reports that it has received this week 823 applications for situations, compared with 725 the previous week. Of these seeking work 106 were capable of light work and 717 capable of hard labor. Thirty-nine had been found positions. It is expected that with the resurnption of relief work much more assistance will bo given next week.